Losing 90 per cent of its foreign worker force without other labourers taking their place will cost St. Albert millions, and could impact future developments, members of the business community told city council on Monday.
Rob Chiasson, owner of the four McDonald's restaurants in St. Albert, and Paul Quantz, the 2014 chairman of the St. Albert Chamber of Commerce, asked council to pen a letter to the federal government, urging it to find a solution to Alberta's labour shortage.
Chiasson said he has been overwhelmed in recent months by other community business owners who are frustrated and concerned about having to run their businesses short-staffed in the long run.
"I am here today to ask that the city of St. Albert join in the ongoing cry for a solution," he said.
Chiasson said the labour shortage poses a threat to St. Albert's economy and finances. Once 90 per cent of St. Albert's temporary foreign workers will be forced to leave the community by 2016, existing business will suffer.
But so will new projects and developments, who may already consider the impact a lack of available workers will have on their business, he said.
He added that the workers forced to leave will cost St. Albert about $17.5 million, after tax and money sent home.
Chiasson later told the Gazette that he calculated this number by using the estimated amount of temporary foreign workers in the community (about 1/12th of Edmonton's) and multiplying them with a "very conservative" yearly wage of $26,500 (of which he expects about 25 per cent is sent home).
"Today, I am asking if St. Albert could speak on this issue and would be prepared to make a public statement on it," he said, adding that other communities, such as Leduc, have already written letters to the federal government.
Chamber comments
Paul Quantz added that both the Alberta Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian chamber have addressed the severe labour shortages in Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Maritimes at a meeting in September.
The one-size-fits-all approach the government has taken on the temporary foreign worker program and skills-based immigration does not service these provinces well, he said. Instead, provinces should be able to address immigration and labour policies individually, he said.
He used Quebec, which controls its own immigration policies, as an example for a province-based approach.
He also said that the eastern provinces have "no stomach" to send their young people out West, despite suffering from youth unemployment rates of almost 20 per cent in the greater Toronto area.
"The chamber of commerce and St. Albert's economic development department continue to seek both foreign and Canadian capital to invest in our city, to develop our city," he said, "So the question must be asked – where do the workers come from?"
Quantz said the St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce supports Chiasson and other business owners in their urging for a letter sent to the government.
He also suggested council participate in roundtable discussions on the future of the labour market held by the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA).
Council response
Coun. Gilles Prefontaine said that during the early 2000s, Alberta schools had noticed a rise in dropouts. More than 30 per cent of youth were motivated to leave their education behind for the chance of "making good money," he said.
These youth were later left behind during the recession, he said. Prefontaine asked whether Chiasson had approached the school boards about the potential for employees.
Chiasson said he is willing to explore that option.
"I didn't come across that kind of data when I did my research but I have been actively engaged with the schools from a recruitment point of view," he said.
While council did not provide an immediate response to Chiasson and the chamber on their request, Coun. Cathy Heron requested that administration research other communities that have written similar letters to the federal government.
