Quote:
Originally Posted by puffnstuff
From the Pembina Institute in regards to the future of oil industry employment
Employment figures demonstrate the impact that this has had on workers. Where once the level of employment in the sector was characterised by periods of ‘boom’ and ‘bust’, depending on fluctuations in the global oil price, after 2012 jobs became decoupled from profits and production levels. Employment in the sector peaked in 2012, at 38 jobs per thousand barrels of oil per day produced. By 2023, it was at 22 jobs per thousand barrels — a 43% decrease, despite the fact that oil and gas production grew 47% during the same period.
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Much of the populist resentment the UCP exploits comes from O&G workers and former workers who feel the only thing preventing the 2003-2012 boom from returning is evil Easterners and environmentalists. Energy company bigwigs and cynical politicians are happy to foster that lie. Because yeah, the truth is that the O&G sector will never be a mass employer in this province again, the way it was 15 years ago. There will still be high-paying professional jobs in Calgary’s office towers, but fewer of them. And far fewer rig servicing jobs out in the patch, the kind that saw guys with high school degrees pulling in $100k+.
Expanding pipeline capacity will be good for Alberta’s (and Canada’s) finances by generating royalties and taxes. But someone needs to tell the public the truth about the end of mass employment in the sector.