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1. Introduction
Stelmach affirmed that “Alberta’s future is bright, but it could be dimmed by labour shortages” (in COAA on Labour Shortages, 2005, p. 1). Because oil price is expected to remain high over the next five years, Alberta’s economic boom acts as a magnet for workers from other Canadian provinces. Also, this climate encourages investment, creates diversity, and helps Alberta’s businesses to compete around the globe. The result is one of the most vibrant economies in the world. Each year, thousands of people move to Wild Rose Country, drawn by this prosperous province, where they have a rich natural environment and enjoy “outstanding opportunities in recreation, arts and culture” (Facts on Alberta, August 2007, p. 2). Even in this situation, Alberta is facing a labour shortage because there are simply not enough people to fill the demand; especially there is a lack of people with the education, experience and competencies required by employers.
The purpose of this project is to focus on shortage of work force in Alberta. The research paper discusses the fluctuation of local labour market in the last five years, explores the challenges that Human Resources professionals are facing in this work environment, and analyzes the governmental strategies to counteract the negative impact of skill and labour shortage.





2. Economiy of Alberta
Over the past ten years, Alberta has had the strongest economy in Canada, with an average real rate of growth of 4.3% per year. The economy has experienced rapid growth in industries as energy, forest products, machinery, fabricated metals, construction, retail and wholesale trade, and business services. The three non-energy sectors that registered the strongest expansion on this period of time are the finance and real estate sector, the business and commercial services sector, and the manufacturing sector (Facts on Alberta, August 2007, p.4).

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