The Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC) anticipates that B.C.'s labour force growth will slow, but at a gradual pace, through the balance of this decade, according to a report released by the business lobby group October 7.
“Our analysis does not point to widespread skill or labour shortages in the near term, in part because the unemployment rate is still quite high,” said BCBC executive vice-president Jock Finlayson.
“However, meeting future labour market needs will become more challenging by 2015 and beyond.”
Regional labour shortages are possible because of many major projects across B.C.
The most pronounced labour shortage, according to the BCBC, will likely be the North Coast-Nechako region and in the Cariboo.
“The core working age population in those regions has declined over the past 10 to 15 years,” said Ken Peacock, BCBC’s chief economist and a co-author of the study.
“So the expansion of the Port of Prince Rupert, new energy and mining development and an expected upturn in forestry mean many companies in the northern parts of B.C. are going to experience difficulties in finding people with the right skill sets.”
Glen Korstrom
@GlenKorstrom