Alberta’s economic prospects depend heavily on its ability to attract newcomers into the workforce, according to a new report from the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, released less than two weeks before Albertans vote in a provincial referendum containing 10 questions, half of which deal with immigration.
The Oct. 19 referendum includes a question on whether the province should be given increased control over immigration in order to bring it down to more “sustainable levels.” Other questions ask Albertans whether provincial services such as health care and education should be limited based on immigration status, whether non-permanent residents should have to live in the province for one year before qualifying for social supports, whether a fee should be charged to those individuals for accessing provincial services, and whether proof of citizenship should be required to vote.
“As Alberta’s workforce and labour demands evolve, we need to make it easier, not harder, for businesses to access the labour they need to sustain the province’s long-term competitiveness and economic growth,” said Deborah Yedlin, the chamber’s chief executive, in a news release.
Business Members Split on Policy Direction
Polling commissioned by the chamber found that 47 per cent of its members believe recent or proposed changes to immigration policy would hurt their business, compared with 11 per cent who said such changes would help. More than half of members surveyed said they are opposed to the province taking greater control over immigration and to limiting eligibility for provincially funded programs, while less than half supported restricting newcomers’ access to services.
The chamber’s report warned that when businesses cannot access the workers and skills they need, projects can be delayed, expansion plans postponed and operating capacity constrained, adding that some businesses may choose to relocate as a result.
The survey also found that 71 per cent of businesses with 50 or more employees consider immigrant workers important to their operations. The chamber’s report argued that immigration will remain among the primary sources of labour-force growth for Alberta in the years ahead, noting the province competes with other jurisdictions for skilled workers, entrepreneurs and investment.
The chamber said businesses are concerned that any new fees proposed by the provincial government to offset the cost of services for non-permanent residents would ultimately be borne by employers, adding to labour costs after what it described as years of unprecedented wage growth. The government has not yet determined the size of any such fee, though Premier Danielle Smith told Calgary business leaders last month that a potential health premium could reach as much as $1,900.
Immigration’s Role in Population and Revenue
Alberta is projected to add almost two million residents between 2025 and 2051, with 62 per cent of that growth coming from outside Canada, according to the report. It noted that more than a quarter of Albertans were born outside the country, and that immigration has added 892,000 people to the province’s population since 2000, compared with 651,000 from natural population growth over the same period.
The chamber’s report highlighted that immigrants contributed $4.1 billion in Alberta personal income taxes in 2026, alongside international business connections and market knowledge. The provincial government has separately argued that it costs more than $1 billion a year to provide health care and education to temporary residents.
Immigration's Economic Footprint in Alberta
The chamber also commissioned an economic analysis of separation from University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe. At a news conference last month, Tombe said migrants arriving in Alberta bring with them, on average, roughly $220,000 worth of taxpayer-funded education obtained elsewhere. “We get the benefit of those skills deployed in our economy, and we didn’t have to pay for it,” he told reporters, adding that when measured against the cost of providing social services, “the gap is not all that close.” Tombe also noted that because young people make up the largest share of new migrants, they are not a major draw on the health-care system.
This article references reporting from:
- thecanadianpressnews.ca
- thecanadianpressnews.ca
- thecanadianpressnews.ca
- Toronto Star
- Toronto Star
- St. Albert Gazette
- St. Albert Gazette
- St. Albert Gazette
- St. Albert Gazette
- Rocky Mountain Outlook
- Rocky Mountain Outlook
- Rocky Mountain Outlook
- CHAT News Today
- CHAT News Today
- Yahoo! Finance Canada
- Yahoo! Finance Canada
