The Fort McMurray oil community has welcomed a large number of transient workers. Now, there’s new support for companies that work at the source of Canada’s oil and gas production to localize their workforce.
“Jobs are not good for people, and they’re not good for communities,” said Alberta Energy and Minerals Minister Brian Jean. “They don’t help our country, they don’t help the people’s country.”
Jean said that the kind of fly that flies opens up the country of wealth.
He said, “We are making people from other regions and other countries fly here to take our property, take our work, and take the money back to their own country.”
“That doesn’t make sense. That’s wrong. And honestly, I’m disgusted.”
Jean, who is also the member of parliament for Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche, has found a connection with the community, he said.
According to the city census, in 2021 the total population of the Wood Buffalo area will exceed 106,000. More than a quarter – about 27,000 – live in work camps.
Sandy Bowman, the mayor of Wood Buffalo, said in a statement that increasing the county’s population is his top priority, including those who are there part-time.
“As someone who loves this area and knows it’s a great place to live, work and raise a family, we want as many people as possible to live here, including home-based workers. oil and gas operations,” he said.
“I have always believed that if what is required is for the people who work here to live here, that the workers will choose us over the other if I am given the opportunity and a good chance to know the city. ”
Incentives versus punishments
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said her government would prefer to encourage rather than punish employers.
“There are two ways to approach it: give incentives or give punishments,” he said in an interview with CBC News. “I like being around inspiration.”
Smith said incentives could include creating shorter flights, so workers can travel more easily between remote sites in the Fort McMurray area, as well as compensation for hiring companies. work in the area.
“Those things are things that are being discussed because I think it’s important,” Smith said.
“I think it might save the company money, but it builds the community and that’s really important for us to be able to do.”
He said, the cost of living in the north is also being considered for those who want to live in the area.
Camping is a legacy of the prosperity era
Heather Exner-Pirot, fellow and director of natural resources, energy and the environment at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, says that inspiration makes the best sense.
“Instead of punishing companies, encourage workers, encourage people to want to live in Fort McMurray,” he said.
Exner-Pirot said that the style of flying in the garden comes from the old style of domestic workers.
Beginning in the 1950s, the country saw the development of industrial cities created by the infrastructure industry, he said.
But corporate cities are expensive, so flying out is popular, Exner-Pirot said.
“We saw in Fort McMurray the last success when we were really raising oil prices. And that’s the model that oil companies are producing now. And that’s working for them,” he said.
During the oil boom in the early 2000s and 2010s, the oilsands industry was criticized for putting too much pressure on Fort McMurray and undermining human services, health care and education, Exner-Pirot said.
“But there is pressure, of course, for the oil companies to take care of their workers, so as not to put a burden on the community. But now we see a different kind of story,” said Exner-Pirot.
Exner-Pirot said he understands why Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo counties want to boost their numbers, including by making oil companies pay more.
He said: “I appreciate their economic struggles.
“What people don’t realize is that they were left behind in the housing boom and all that, and a lot of people are still underwater, paying higher prices for their homes ten years ago, and still not in time where they can sell it and retire,” he said.
Oil companies are not against hiring local people
Oil companies are closing in on the prospect of making their Fort McMurray regional operations — at least partially — successful.
Kendall Dilling, president of the Pathways Alliance, a group of major Canadian oil companies, said in an email that the company is committed to providing jobs in the region, “while also hiring workers.” from the local area to serve the staff well.”
Imperial Oil and Suncor, two of the largest oil and gas companies, say they are exploring options to increase Fort McMurray’s workforce.
Suncor said nearly half of its workforce — about 8,000 people — work and live in the Fort McMurray area with plans to outsource more of its workforce.
A full transition to local workers may not be possible entirely, said Dianna De Sousa, executive director of the Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce.
“A 12-hour shift depends on the travel time in both directions, there is a safety issue,” De Sousa said.
“It would be wonderful to have access to all areas. But if we are rational, depending on some of those areas, it will not be useful.”
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