October 2005 ISSUE
POTPOURRI
Mega Project
Action Needed,
Report Stresses
Much of Alberta’s economic prosperity is linked to the province’s mega projects in the oil sands and elsewhere. Government and industry, however, have more to do than rake in the dollars and weld the steel, says a report of Alberta Economic Development and Alberta Energy.
Alberta must address potential labour shortages and infrastructure shortfalls, says the summary report called Maximizing the Alberta Energy Advantage Through Mega Project Excellence. The province must build strategies for management excellence, engage leaders and demonstrate leadership, and develop a communication strategy to help the public understand the value of mega projects.
The 23-page report comes out of a year of stakeholder consultation, which culminated with a June 27 forum in Calgary.
Says the report: “It was recognized that there is a responsibility of both government and industry to achieve the goal of mega project excellence. There was urgency expressed to move to action as quickly as possible.”
The recommendations “stand as priorities for action,” says the report.
Labour came up regularly at the forum. “The issues surrounding labour
were intense and broad.”
Alberta needs long-term labour supply-and-demand models. The credentialing system
should be “streamlined and rationalized.” Pre-apprenticeship training
needs expansion.
And barriers need to be removed for inter-provincial and foreign workers. “Delivering clear and transparent messages about the facts regarding foreign workers to combat the misinformation and misperceptions that exist in the public mind should become and immediate priority for industry and government,” says the report.