The report, entitled Green Jobs: It's Time to Build Alberta's
Future, was commissioned by Greenpeace, Sierra Club Prairie Chapter
and the Alberta Federation of Labour. This unique coalition
responds to the interest Albertans have in a strong bottom line
that also supports ecological health.
"This report shows what we've been saying for some time now:
that a green economy is a healthy economy. Right now, we have the
ability to put tens of thousands of Albertans back to work building
the future," said Jeh Custer, Energy Campaigner with the Sierra
Club Prairie Chapter "All we need is a little bit of vision and a
lot of leadership."
The green jobs strategy is needed now at a time when Alberta has
record job losses and its first deficit in over a decade. Alberta
has slipped from having the lowest unemployment levels in Canada to
third. Since August 2008, employers have cut over 135,000 full-time
positions.
The vision in the report will breathe new life into the
province's economy and help improve its environmental track record,
which has recently come under international criticism.
Green Jobs: It's Time to Build Alberta's Future, shows a new way
forward. It outlines what a green economy should look like. The
green jobs of the future include electricians, computer software
engineers, iron and steel workers, electrical engineers, electrical
equipment assemblers, welders, metal fabricators, electrical
equipment technicians, construction workers, machinists,
construction labourers, operating engineers, and electrical power
line installers and repairers, and sheet metal workers - a truly
"green collar" industry.
"It's time this government invests in people and put our dollars
towards building safe, vibrant and sustainable communities in
Alberta," said Gil McGowan, President of the Alberta Federation of
Labour. "This report shows undeniably that a green investment will
allow us to diversify our economy, to stabilize it and to put tens
of thousands of people to work immediately building our green
energy future."
Other green jobs could be created in providing water treatment
for First Nations communities, improving wastewater treatment
systems, reforestation, and cleaning up contaminated sites. These
opportunities can create many more good green jobs in rural and
urban areas.
"Instead of investing $2 billion in false solutions like Carbon
Capture and Storage, the government should choose solutions that
will help every Albertan," said Mike Hudema, Climate and Energy
campaigner with Greenpeace, Canada. "The time has come to let go of
what's clearly not working and begin focusing our energy on
creating the clean, green economy that will sustain us for
generations to come. It's time to build the future."
For more information, please
contact:
Gil McGowan, President, AFL, office - (780)483-3021; cell -
(780)218-9888
Jeh Custer, Sierra Club Prairie Chapter, (780)660-5483
Mike Hudema, Greenpeace Tar Sands Campaigner, (780)504-5601
Jessica Wilson, Greenpeace Media and Public Relations Officer,
(778)228-5404
Download the full report Green Jobs: It's Time to Build
Alberta's Future