> If there was no oil, these workers would mostly go work and be productive elsewhere, increasing local tax revenues.
Can you provide examples of equivalent work at the same pay level these young workers would engage in if not for O&G?
Can you provide examples of equivalent work at the same pay level these young workers would engage in if not for O&G?
The maritime provinces have a very high average age in part because many workers left for alberta. This cuts the tax base.
That was my point. The workers do get a higher wage in Alberta, but most of this benefit is spend within Alberta or taxed there. Good for workers, good for Alberta....but not obviously a win for the rest of Canada.
And again, Alberta didn’t have to pay for 18 years of schooling and child health care for these workers: that was paid by the home province.
Obviously, a COVID-19-triggered recession would not create an employment boom to replace oil jobs.
(FTR: I support the immediate shutdown of the tar sands, but we need a job replacement/retraining strategy...)