Alberta oilpatch recruiting in Maritimes again as drilling set to rise in 2022
BNN Bloomberg
After seven years of layoffs and hard times, employers in Alberta's oilpatch are once again flush with cash and out to lure workers from the Maritimes and other parts of Eastern Canada.
CALGARY -- After seven years of layoffs and hard times, employers in Alberta's oilpatch are once again flush with cash and out to lure workers from the Maritimes and other parts of Eastern Canada.
The Canadian Association of Energy Contractors (CAOEC) said Tuesday it is expecting 6,457 oil and gas wells to be drilled in 2022, a more than 25 per cent increase from 2021.
"This is the good news story that we've been waiting for for seven years," Mark Scholz, CAOEC president and chief executive, told reporters at an industry event in Calgary. "This is the first time in a very, very long time that many of our small businesses -- who really quite frankly have been on the edge of insolvency and bankruptcy -- (are receiving) that message of hope that many people have been waiting for."
Global prices for natural gas and oil are higher than they've been since 2014, the last boom year for Alberta before a price collapse caused widespread bankruptcies and layoffs in the energy sector and plunged the province into recession.
While drilling activity next year isn't expected to reach 2014 heights, strong commodity prices combined with progress on export capacity projects like the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and Coastal GasLink means the industry is feeling optimistic for the first time in many years. The CAOEC expects increased drilling activity in 2022 to create 35,000 new jobs in Western Canada, an increase of 7,200 jobs year-over-year.
With that increased activity comes a return to something Alberta has traditionally been good at -- recruiting eastern Canadians with the lure of vacant jobs and large paycheques. Scholz said a significant portion of the sector's workforce historically came from Newfoundland, the Maritimes, Ontario and Quebec, but many of those workers returned home in recent years due to a shortage of jobs as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Another climb for oil prices sent the U.S. stock market sharply lower, as hopes collapsed for a possible cut to interest rates by the Federal Reserve.
Global oil prices will continue to rise as the war in the Middle East continues and the Strait of Hormuz remains inaccessible, according to an energy expert.
Global oil prices will continue to rise as the war in the Middle East continues and the Strait of Hormuz remains inaccessible, according to an energy expert.
Facing a $1.4 billion deficit shortfall, the provincial government says its large-animal vet service will be privatized over the next three years.
Facing a $1.4 billion deficit shortfall, the provincial government says its large-animal vet service will be privatized over the next three years.
Jurors wade through daunting evidence in high-stakes Meta trial about social media risks to children
A stream of testimony and evidence has been presented in a New Mexico case exploring what Meta knew about the effects of its platforms on children.
Markets in Canada and the U.S. continued to trade lower while oil went up late morning on Friday as inflationary fears prevailed among investors.
Gold prices fell by 1.8 per cent on Friday as the dollar strengthened on a report that the United States will deploy extra troops in the Middle East, fanning concerns of higher oil prices, inflation, and with it, elevated interest rates.
Canada’s federally backed farm lender is offering financial aid to farmers, agricultural businesses and food companies hit by the spike in fertilizer and energy prices, it said on Friday.
Statistics Canada says retail sales were up 1.1 per cent at $70.7 billion in January, led by sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers.
As Qatar reels from an Iranian attack that has hobbled its giant natural gas company, its boss, who doubles as the country’s energy minister, says he had warned officials and executives of just such a danger should Iran’s own sites be hit.
Top Picks from Greg Newman, Senior Wealth Advisor & Portfolio Manager, Newman Group, ScotiaMcLeod
Dan Tobon outlines key market wildcards, including geopolitical risks, AI disruption and shifting investor sentiment.