Job creation and employment in Calgary were important issues even before the pandemic. Unemployment in Calgary has more than doubled since 2014, women's participation in the labour force is down to its lowest level in three decades, and a large spike in unemployment due to COVID-19 has also disproportionately impacted low-wage and racialized workers.
Unemployment in Calgary has more than doubled since 2014.
This is no time for a hiring freeze, this is no time for an investment freeze, and this is no time to get in the way of opportunity. Jobs are essential to building a diverse, resilient, and sustainable economy.
High-quality job opportunities are important to ensuring a strong quality of life for all Calgarians.
- Calgary has a wealth of skilled talent. We need to take advantage of existing skill sets in Calgary’s labour force and make it easier to upgrade or cross-train into other industries.
- Collaboration with post-secondary institutions, governing bodies, professional associations, nonprofit, and public sectors is needed to build and transition Calgary’s workforce into meaningful and sustainable job opportunities.
- Undertaking extensive retraining or cross-training can be risky for individuals. By establishing more on-the-job and transitional programs with partners in education and industry, we can help meet the needs of both workers and employers.
- The City needs to advocate for ways to reduce barriers for immigrants to be employed in their field of work without having to undertake extensive re-certifications.
- The City needs to prioritize equity in access to programs through the deliberate inclusion of marginalized Calgarians.
Creating jobs in Calgary will help build a diverse, resilient, and sustainable economy.
Areas the City can prioritize:
- Get out of the way. Establish bureaucratic processes that are friendly to business owners and investors.
- Expand incentives for businesses to create jobs through entities like Calgary Economic Development and the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund.
- This is no time for a hiring freeze. The City provides essential services both as a direct employer via administration and with City-owned subsidiaries. We need to ensure that our city services are being fulfilled and that we are keeping those Calgarians employed.