GDP and economic expansion

[LAndersen]

Hi,

I am looking to find out some information related to our economy and it's potential expansion. Does anyone know how much of a brake on the economy the lack of qualified help is putting on things here in the West? Does it reduce our growth by a certain amount? I have been hearing amongst my talks with small business owners in Alberta that they aren't able to pursue expansion opportunities due to the lack of qualified help. Also, it seems that the federal governments tinkering with the temporary foreign worker program is making it harder to access this labour pool. What different strategies are you hearing that business owners are using to be able to compete? Thank you in advance.

 

[Thomas Beyer]

Lack of qualified help is a myth.



The fact is that with enough pay enough workers are available. At certain prices of wages certain projects or firms are uneconomic, though, and as such will stop hiring.



The saying "Its tough to find good help these days" by many company owners is just not true. What is true is that wages + benefits have to go up in many instances to find "good help".



Some firms are advertising in Europe or Mexico or S-America.



The unemployment in E-Canada or select cities is high enough that people would move with enough incentives.



Another issue is that many jobs are in northern cities, with bad weather far away from large population centers. Some folks will never move there.