Agriculture Policy Trends: Labour Shortage in Alberta Agriculture

Canada, and Alberta in particular, face growing agricultural labour shortages. In 2017, 47 per cent of Canada’s agriculture employers had difficulty finding workers, leaving 16,500 jobs unfilled and $2.9 billion in lost sales. In 2021, employers across agricultural sectors reported labor shortages: 53 per cent in food and beverage manufacturing, 24 per cent in ag-tech, 21 per cent in livestock production and 17 per cent in grain and seed production. In 2022, 62 per cent of agri-business owners reported recruiting challenges, leaving 28,000 jobs unfilled in peak season and $3.5 billion in lost sales. By 2029, an estimated 123,000 Canadian agri-food jobs will go unfilled.

Despite high average weekly agriculture wages and agricultural operating revenue, Alberta is projected to face the largest labour gap among the provinces: 19,600 agriculture jobs will go unfilled by 2029. Much of the shortage will occur in livestock farming operations.

To address the shortages, Alberta agri-food sector hires three times as many foreign workers as Manitoba or Saskatchewan. While some say curtailing temporary foreign worker programs will increase hiring of Canadian workers, studies show the impact is smaller than what is claimed. Strategies proposed to address the worker-shortage issue in a 2024 Alberta Food Processors Association study include: developing a hub to provide concierge service to employers; developing online tools to help employers recruit and retain workers; and coordinating agriculture sector employment needs with post-secondary institutions that train workers and funnel the workforce to the sector.