Changing Trends in the Alberta Labour Force

This Bulletin analyses the labour force participation rate (LFPR) in Alberta in aggregate terms, by gender, and by age group through a separation of the effects of longer trends from shorter term influences. The labour force participation rate is simply the percent of the population in the labour force who are working or actively seeking work. The LFPR may be an overall or aggregate rate that is the proportion of the population 15 years of age and older that is in the labour force, or it may be expressed for gender or age sub-groups. Data for the LFPR comes from the Statistics Canada monthly Labour Force Survey of households. Across Canada LFPRs are far from uniform. Nationally, in 2007, the annual average was 67.6%. However, at the low end was Newfoundland and Labrador with a rate of 59.2%, while our neighbouring province of British Columbia recorded a rate of 66.3%. At a 2007 rate of 74.1%, Alberta was substantially above the national average and, indeed, had the highest rate in Canada—and one of the highest in the western world. Given the rather unique situation in Alberta, it is useful to examine in more detail the path of the LFPR over past decades and to consider the patterns of change in the demographic groups that make up the labour force.