Five Lethbridge Chamber resolutions adopted, each addressing business concerns

The highlights are as follows:

The Chamber says global commerce is increasingly reliant upon the ability for goods to reach local, regional, and international markets.

“Yet despite this considerable network, there is the distinct impression amongst the business community of Southern Alberta that clear opportunities will be missed by not investing now, at this crucial time in redirecting the Province’s economy, in improving or expanding local transportation networks to encourage the growth of key industries,” reads a portion of the resolution.

The chamber wants the government of Canada to take the following action:

Work with rail operators to ensure open and fair access to rail transportation, through a reduction in regulations affecting wider uses of rail to transport Canadian goods to national and international markets, shipping ports, and transportation hubs

The chamber wants the government of Alberta to take the following actions:

Expedite the twinning of Highway 3
Aide in creating a plan for sustainable growth in local airports

Measuring the Effects of Increased Minimum Wages in Alberta

In June 2019, a new youth minimum wage was created in Alberta that allows employers to pay workers under the age of 18 $13/hour while working no more than 28 hours per week during the school year.

This has created an additional tier in the mandatory pay-floor structure.

The chamber wants the government of Alberta to take the following actions:

Continue to monitor Alberta’s minimum wage
Consider a regional minimum wage based on the cost of living to allow for differences in rural and urban areas
Collaborate with businesses to conduct an analysis on employment and economic impacts for any future proposed minimum wage increases

The Application Process and Farmer Involvement in the Wetland Policy

The Alberta Wetland Policy was initiated in 1993 to address wetland areas being impacted by activities such as agriculture.

A new policy was then enacted in 2013 that would assess wetland areas for planning processes and regulatory approval.

The chamber states that “farmers know and understand the ecological cycle of their land,” but many have to wait long periods of time to have their land independently verified, which impacts seeding times.

The chamber wants the government of Alberta to take the following action:

Make changes to the wetland assessment to account for farmers knowledge of their land so seeding is not delayed, while still being effective environmental stewards of the wetlands

Creating an Effective Workforce for the Changing Economy

The chamber says many Canadians struggle to transition between learning and work, leading to a large skills gap in many sectors across all provinces.

Stats Canada reports that there were 52,890 vacant jobs in Alberta in 2019.

“With this in mind, it is imperative to create supports for those undergoing career transitions,” reads a statement from the chamber’s resolution.

The chamber wants the government of Alberta to take the following actions:

Through incentives and initiatives, encourage employers to invest more and become more involved in providing training opportunities to current staff
Promote increased and diversified enrollment in post-secondary tech programs by providing subsidies for micro-credential training
Invest in the “essential skills for tomorrow”, such as support for STEM education and trades training in post-secondary and career transition programming
Ensure a seamless, coordinated system that provides an effective transition within the high school system and the workplace
Partner with stakeholders to create career development and market information training
Track outcomes associated with these programs

The Need to Invest in Truck Driver Training

The trucking industry continues to be crucially important to the province and the country as a whole, yet the Canadian Trucking Alliance estimates that there will be a need for another 34,000 drivers by 2024.

This, according to the Northern Labour Market Clearinghouse, is “less of a supply and demand of drivers and more of a shortage of qualified drivers. That is to say that recruiting employees with the right training experience is the main challenge.”

The chamber wants the governments of Alberta and Canada to take the following actions:

Create a minimum standard for accreditation of commercial driving programs based on the national occupational standard
Work with high schools to introduce students to professional truck driving and provide opportunities for training
Change the National Occupation Classification Code for truck drivers and give individuals the chance to qualify for funding and grants to support their training
Better promote provincial programs, services, and funding so the industry is aware of them and can leverage them.

by David Opinko

Five Lethbridge Chamber resolutions adopted, each addressing business concerns

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