| Alberta Sub-Sector Labour Supply Strategy Triggers "Unprecedented" Response from Retailers |
Edmonton, September 19, 2006 – Retail Council of Canada (RCC) members in Alberta have hit the ground running with a Retail Labour Supply Task Force in response to the Alberta Government's release today of a province-wide retail labour blueprint — the first sub-sector strategy to come out of Alberta's 10-year labour force plan.
To review the strategy, click here.
"The labour shortage impact on the province's retail sector is an unprecedented challenge and we are responding as an industry in an unprecedented way," said Kevin Higa, Co-Chair of RCC's Retail Labour Supply Task Force and CFO of Edmonton-based retailer the Running Room.
"More than 50 national, provincial and local retail companies have come together to be part of the solution by implementing many of the strategies laid out in the province's retail sub-sector labour supply strategy," said Sharon Norris, Co-Chair of the Task Force and Director of Dealer Development and Learning for Canadian Tire Corporation.
Retail Council of Canada and its member companies have been working with the Ministry of Human Resources and Employment over the summer on finalizing a retail sector sub-strategy of "Building and Educating Tomorrow's Workforce: Alberta's 10 Year Strategy." Today's release marks the first of several sub-sector strategies to be unveiled over the next few months.
"It is clear that the retail sector is addressing the issue of labour and skill shortages head-on," said Hon. Mike Cardinal, Minister of Human Resources and Employment. "With nearly 12% of Alberta's workforce, retail is an industry that needs to be part of the labour supply solution, and the Task Force is a positive sign of retailers' commitment to do so."
Activities of RCC's Alberta Task Force will include enhancing retail career opportunities through improved access to retail post-secondary training, outreach to under-utilized segments of the labour force, and recruitment initiatives such as the retail hiring fairs taking place in Calgary today (Sept. 19) and at the University of Alberta tomorrow (Sept. 20.)
Retail Council of Canada (www.retailcouncil.org) is the Voice of Retail. It is a not-for-profit association representing more than 40,000 stores of all retail formats, including independent merchants, regional and national mass and specialty chains, and online merchants.
For more information, contact: Dianne Johnstone, Director of Government Relations and Membership Services (Alberta), at (780) 481-2993 or toll-free at (888) 481-2993.
Alberta Retail Labour Supply Task Force — Participating Retailers
| Aritzia | Michael Hill Jewellers |
| Athletes World | Mr. Lube |
| Bata | Payless Shoes |
| Best Buy Canada | Please Mum |
| Black Photo Corporation | Purdy's Chocolates |
| Blockbuster Canada | Rexall Drug Stores |
| Bootlegger | Royal Doulton |
| Canadian Tire Corporation | Safeway Canada |
| Carlton Cards | Shoppers Drug Mart |
| Cineplex Entertainment | Staples/Business Depot |
| Cleo | Running Room |
| Costco Wholesale | Sears Canada |
| Danier Leather | Tabi International |
| Easy Home | The Brick |
| Future Shop | The Forzani Group |
| Golf Town Canada | The North-West Company |
| Hbc | The Royal Doulton Company |
| Henry Singer Fashion Group | Tilley Endurables |
| HMV | Toys R Us |
| Home Depot | Urban Barn |
| La Senza | Wal-Mart Canada |
| Liquidation World | Warehouse One |
| London Drugs | Winners Merchants |
| Luxottica Retail Division | Zale Corporation |
| Marks' Work Wearhouse | Zellers |