What BC’s Buoyant Economy May Mean for You

Things are looking up in British Columbia. Our province leads the nation in job growth, and our economy is expected to grow more than any other province this year. While Alberta lost 21,000 jobs in April, BC gained 13,000, pushing our unemployment rate to a national low of 5.8 percent. All this even as forestry and mining, traditional economic drivers, are still looking to rebound. 

Where are the jobs coming from? A recent Globe and Mail article highlighted the top professions with the highest projected number of job openings in BC in the coming years. The province is expected to need 25,000 more nurses, 16,000 more truck drivers, and upward of 13,000 more carpenters by 2022. CLAC Training in BC is working hard to ensure that our members are able to acquire the skills necessary to take advantage of these growth opportunities. We’re happy to talk with you about advancing your career. 

Despite the rosy job picture, wage rates compared to inflation have barely moved, leaving those in low-income jobs—especially non-union workers—in a vulnerable position as housing prices and rents have skyrocketed. But with BC’s buoyant economy, we will be in a better position to push for improvements through sector- specific benchmarking during contract negotiations. 

As your union, we’re here to serve you and advocate on your behalf—during good times and challenging times. With the economic drivers pointing in the right direction, improvements are on the horizon.