Employment in Alberta Agri-Food Industries, 2011

Collected from a variety of sources, the Statistics and Data Development Branch monitors statistical indicators of agri-food activity for Alberta. The Agri-Food Statistics Update is designed to provide users with commentary on current issues, trends and new developments related to agriculture and the food and beverage processing industries. Up-to-date statistics are supplemented with informative charts and diagrams. To gauge Alberta’s performance, comparative data and information are often available for Canada and the provinces.

This Update presents annual 2007 to 2011 estimates of employment in Alberta’s agri-food industries (agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing industries).

The source of the data is Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey which generates detailed information on labour market conditions. Employed workers (aged 15 years and over) consist of two categories: employees (work for a private business or for the government or public) and the self-employed (working owners of businesses, farms or professional practices). Employment estimates also refer to unpaid family labour and include both full-time and part-time employment.

Note: Industry estimates are based on the general nature of the business carried out by the employer for whom the survey respondent works (main job only).

Note to Users: The contents of this document may not be used or reproduced without properly accrediting Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Economics and Competitiveness Division, Statistics and Data Development Branch.

Key Messages

In 2008, employment in Alberta peaked at 2,053,700 persons. In 2009 and 2010, recessionary effects resulted in lower levels and the province lost 37,100 jobs. However, in 2011, the labour market recovered with an increase of 3.8 per cent over 2010 (up 77,500 jobs). This was the largest annual gain among the provinces.

Following two consecutive annual declines, employment in Alberta’s agri-food industries increased 4.6 per cent to total 73,200 persons in 2011.

The improvement in 2011 was entirely due to a gain of 10.0 per cent in workers employed in agriculture industries. In contrast, employment in food and beverage manufacturing industries dropped 6.6 per cent.

At 51,800 in 2011, employment in the province’s agriculture industries was dominated by animal production workers at 30,200 (58.3 per cent of the total). Cattle ranching and farming production employed 18,800 workers and 11,400 were employed in other animal production. Albertans employed in crop production totalled 15,700 (30.3 per cent). The remaining were in mixed farming at 4,000 (7.7 per cent) and support activities for agriculture at 1,900 (3.7 per cent).

Food and beverage manufacturing industries remains the largest manufacturing employer in Alberta at 21,400 or 15.1 per cent of total manufacturing employment (141,400).

For a complete copy of this update, please download the attached pdf file.