# What's happening in Northern Alberta? (economy related) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 22, 2012, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happening-in-northern-alberta-economy-related/629021 "2012-07-22T04:04:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happening-in-northern-alberta-economy-related/629021/21 "2012-07-24T22:13:57Z")
While even the unskilled generic service jobs in Ft Mac pay well, do keep in mind that cost of living is high and accommodations can be difficult or impossible to find. Not to be discouraging, just something to be careful of and take into account when making decisions. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happening-in-northern-alberta-economy-related/629021/22 "2012-07-24T22:40:44Z")
Yeah I looked at housing prices, pretty steep. I’ll definitely keep it in mind. One of the postings I saw had a cost of living allowance in addition to the wage, but I wouldn’t assume that’s standard. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happening-in-northern-alberta-economy-related/629021/23 "2012-07-25T00:11:49Z")
Something else that might partly explain why they’re all of a sudden launching ad blitzes in the US is that we’ve got our own little boom region going in western North Dakota right now. A lot of the “follow the work” types in the US who would have been heading up to Alberta 5 years ago are now more likely to go to North Dakota, which is also offering sky-high wages, but is a lot closer to US population centers and doesn’t have the administrative hurtles of working abroad. ---
**Author:** ![old\_joe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/58956e/32.png) [@old\_joe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/old_joe)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happening-in-northern-alberta-economy-related/629021/24 "2012-07-25T01:17:41Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > While even the unskilled generic service jobs in Ft Mac pay well, do keep in mind that cost of living is high and accommodations can be difficult or impossible to find. Not to be discouraging, just something to be careful of and take into account when making decisions. Yep housing is very expensive. I still have family up there and its very hard to find a place to live so be carefull. I was thinging more of camp jobs where they fly you up and you live in camp. Everything is supplied, 1 camp has 4000 people there with doctors on staff, gyms and even a timmies! If they dont supply housing think hard about that job. ---
**Author:** ![rdrchewy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c37758/32.png) [@rdrchewy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rdrchewy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happening-in-northern-alberta-economy-related/629021/25 "2012-07-25T01:41:46Z")
I briefly dated a lady in CA she knew many people going to work in the Oil/ Gas industry up there. The pay for these jobs is lucrative if you can take 12 hour days and harsh weather. But you can retire early if you play your cards right ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happening-in-northern-alberta-economy-related/629021/26 "2012-07-25T01:54:09Z")
Housing is going to be the biggest issue with moving to Northern AB if you aren’t going in to a camp. There is zero availability right now, and prices are sky high. Anything on the market is snatched up in hours. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happening-in-northern-alberta-economy-related/629021/27 "2012-07-25T02:56:51Z")
The economy hasn’t really changed here a huge amount - IMHO what has is there’s a pilot Temporary Foreign Workers Program that apparently reduces requirements and changes what used to take months in to minutes. Here’s a[news article](http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Alberta+opening+door+foreign+workers/6944408/story.html) on the changes. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2012, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happening-in-northern-alberta-economy-related/629021/28 "2012-07-26T21:27:12Z")
I’ve lived in Cold Lake (The slightly less well known oil sands area) for 20+ years now and what Old Joe has posted is largely true for here as well. The forecast isthat oil production will double here in the next 7 years or so. [CAPP](http://www.capp.ca/getdoc.aspx?DocId=209546&DT=NTV) A quick look into job postings will show that there are positions of all kinds but if you want the big bucks the trades are where it is at; welders, Instrumentation techs, power engineers, electricians, etc.(Unless you happen to be an oil exec…). Presently, the rental vacancy rate here is about 1.5% as noted[here](http://www.familynavigator.ca/relocation/cold_lake/cold_lake_housing/http://). To give you some perspective, I live in an average size bungalow (1250 sq. ft + basement) and comparables here since I bought two years ago have risen on the order of 25%. Not quite Fort Mac’s prices but don’t expect them to go down any time soon. Taxes are the lowest in Canada, but it will be a shock to someone comeing from the US. Food and gas are reasonable, but still cheaper to do a monthly run to Costco in Edmonton for some things. Winters are cold, long and summers are warm and shorter. The climate, especially if you like outdoor activities, give you true 4 season options. I’d be happy to entertain questions if you have some… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2012, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happening-in-northern-alberta-economy-related/629021/29 "2012-07-27T01:06:18Z")
I’d say go for it if you can, **Rachellelogram**. That’s the kind of adventure to have when you’re young and unencumbered. If you can type, I’d say you could probably get work of some kind - office admin type jobs are ubiquitous for every company. Do you know anyone who can loan you a trailer to live in? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![johnbatt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ccd318/32.png) [@johnbatt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnbatt)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happening-in-northern-alberta-economy-related/629021/30 "2012-08-04T19:15:23Z")
> [@johnbatt](#): > > Yes, you are correct the oil boom and the Tar Sands inparticular have lead to a booming economy which has lead to a shortage of qualified tradesmen. Now take Fort McMurray for example, this is the center of the Tars Sands and it is actually quite nice if you like the great outdoors, it is also very rugged. Because tradesmen are fetching big dollars the price of everything up there is also keeping pace, housing, food, entertainment etc is also very expensive. You also have to remember the more you make the more you pay in taxes up here in Canada as well and you will likely be shocked and how much more we pay in wages taxes compared to the U.S. > > Compared to Seattle you will find the climate (especially the winters) a lot more taxing as well if you are not used to real cold weather and I’m talking -20C and lower at times. I spent a decade working in Fort McMurray one year 🙂 One more thing I forgot to add, someone mentioned health care is included but if you are from the U.S. you will not automatically qualify for our healthcare unless you are a Canadian citizen as well. To be honest either the employer would have to have health care arranged for you or I don’t know how you would get it as all Canadian citizens get socialized health care. Most people from other countries think it’s great that Canada has ‘Free’ health care but our health care is not free at all, we pay much higher taxes and some Provinces i.e. Ontario also have an additional health tax so we do in fact pay for our health care and many times it would be better if we had the option to pay for private health care so we could get things done quicker i.e. MRI’s etc… * * * [Battery A1175](http://www.batterya1175.com) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-happening-in-northern-alberta-economy-related/629021.md?page=1)