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Photo by Curtis Galbraith.
By Curtis Galbraith
Local Business

High marks for this area as a place to work and live in new chamber survey

Dec 20, 2023 | 12:00 PM

The Grande Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce says most of the workers taking part in a recent survey said they were satisfied with this area as a place to work and the quality of life it provides.

The chamber says 92 per cent were satisfied with the area as a place to work, 86 per cent with the quality of life.

The survey included in the City and County of Grande Prairie, MD of Greenview and the other communities in the area.

The chamber also says those surveyed liked this area’s family friendliness, education and recreation options, job security, commute times and access to health benefits and sick pay.

As for employers, 58 per cent felt that the workers they need have been harder to find over the past year with semi-skilled jobs the hardest to fill.

The three municipalities, Northwestern Polytechnic and the chamber are now working together on a plan to attract and keep workers. it should be available in the spring.

The chamber also included some other report highlights in a release. These include the following:

  • Recently relocated employees to the region were most likely to cite job opportunities (42 percent), nearby family/friends (34 per cent) and higher wages (30 per cent) as reasons for moving.
  • Over one-third (38 per cent) of employers report that their total number of employees has increased over the past 12 months and 55 per cent expect their employee numbers to increase over a one-year period.
  • Nearly half (48 per cent) of employers who have directed recruitment efforts outside the region were not successful in hiring workers from outside local borders.
  • Employers are more satisfied with the region as a place to retain workers (69 per cent) than the region as a place to attract workers (50 per cent).
  • •Job declines due to the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to reverse between 2022 and 2028, resulting in a projected growth of approximately 4 per cent in overall jobs.
  • •Though population growth is projected for the City, County, and Greenview, the region will need to rely on external labour to meet local job demand.
by Curtis Galbraith