Alberta government says new program will create thousands of new jobs

EDMONTON – Alberta Labour Minister Lori Sigurdson announced details of a new program Monday morning the government believes will create thousands of new jobs.

The minister said the new program will help create up to 27,000 new jobs each year over the next two years.

“The Job Creation Incentives Program will be the most extensive of its kind in Canada as it will support organizations of all sizes, as well as employment across all non-public sectors,” said Sigurdson. “This includes employers in both the private and non-profit sectors.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The Job Creation Incentives Program will be the most extensive of its kind in Canada as it will support organizations of all sizes, as well as employment across all non-public sectors," said Sigurdson. "This includes employers in both the private and non-profit sectors."

The program will encourage hiring by providing grants to employers for creating new positions, the province said. Grants will be up to $5,000 for each new job and employers will be eligible for up to $500,000 in total support. Grants will be made available on first-come, first-served basis.

READ MORE: Albertans divided over provincial budget, but support job creation program, according to poll

“One of the things that’s really cool about this grant is that it’s not only for corporations, it’s also for small business, medium-sized business, the non-profit sector. It’s a very broad grant,” added Sigurdson.

The Job Creation Incentive Program will be open for application starting in the spring of 2016, and will apply to staff hired since Jan. 1, 2016.

“The job creation program will help provide the support employers need to grow and create good jobs for people across our province,” said Deron Bilous, minister of Economic Development and Trade.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The job creation program will help provide the support employers need to grow and create good jobs for people across our province," said Deron Bilous, minister of Economic Development and Trade.

The announcement comes as the province continues to deal with plunging oil prices and ongoing layoffs in the oil and gas industry.

The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers estimates that about 36,000 jobs, mostly in Alberta, have been lost in Canada’s oil and gas sector in 2015.

Bilous said the government will make more announcements in the coming weeks that will grow and diversify the province’s economy.

A poll released by Mainstreet Technologies showed 71 per cent of Albertans support the new job creation incentive program.

Last week, the NDP government tabled its first budget, with record $6.1 billion deficit.