Work
EMPLOYMENT GROWTH
The employment growth rate is the year over year percentage increase in the number of persons employed.
With employment growth of 4.3 % in 2006, Red Deer saw growth above the national rate of 1.9 but below the provincial rate of 4.8. The rate exceeded the average growth of 2.4 % over 1987-200617.
UNEMPLOYMENT RATES
In 2006 the unemployment rate in Red Deer was 3.8 %. This was below the national level (6.3 %) and slightly above the Alberta provincial level (3.4 %). Since 1987 the unemployment rate in Red Deer has decreased 5.7 percentage points from 9.5 %18.
The unemployment rate for Red Deer Economic Region as of February 2007, was 2.9 %, compared to the 4.0 % for the same time in 2006. These rates were less than the 2005 rates for Red Deer at 3.3 % and Alberta at 4.2 %19.
Please see Appendix 3.0 for information on unemployment trends
EMPLOYMENT RATE (FULL TIME/PART TIME)
At 71.8 % in 2006, Red Deer had an employment rate equal to 114 % of the national rate and 101 % of the provincial rate. The rate was up by 3.8 % since 1987 and was at the highest point in the 20 year series20.
Please see Appendix 3.1 for full and part-time employment rates by age and industry.
TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS
A temporary foreign worker is a foreign national who has been authorized to enter and remain in Canada, on a temporary basis, as a worker. Periods of stay generally are in the range of 3 months to 2 years21.
In order to address labour shortages 189 temporary/foreign workers were approved for Red Deer in 2006. This is an increase in foreign workers of 89% since 2001. Red Deer has 25% points more foreign workers than Alberta for the same period22.
AVERAGE HOURLY EARNINGS/ MEDIAN EARNINGS
At $19.57 average hourly earnings in Red Deer in 2006 were 93 % of the provincial average. This represented an increase of 44.5 % from $13.54 in 1997, the earliest year for which data is available. At $17.31 median hourly earnings were 94 % of the provincial average. This represented an increase of 44.3 % over the 1997 level of $13.5423.
Please see Appendix 3.2 for more information on average wages per sector in Red Deer.
WAITLIST FOR CHILD CARE VERSUS EXISTING SPACES (AND AT DIFFERENT AGES)24
| Red Deer Child Care Waitlists | |
|---|---|
| Program | Information |
| School Age Program | 504 spaces available, 93 on waiting list |
| Family Day Home | 75 children at capacity; require more day homes to expand |
| Normandeau Day Care | 45 children at physical capacity |
| St. Theresa's Educare | 16 children at capacity |
| Fairview First Steps | 13 children, 1 vacancy |