Alberta launching a new campaign to lure skilled workers from Ontario and Atlantic

The Alberta government has started a second campaign aimed at attracting more skilled workers from Ontario and Atlantic Canada.

Alberta Jobs Minister Brian Jean says the Alberta is Calling program is piggybacking on a similar effort announced by the government last summer.

The initial campaign targeted Canadians living in Toronto and Vancouver, while this time it focuses on those living in the Maritimes and parts of Ontario, including London, Hamilton, Windsor and Sudbury.

Jean says there are 100,000 vacancies for skilled workers in Alberta which has the highest wages in Canada.

Jennifer Henshaw, a regional vice-president for Restaurants Canada, says the hospitality industry has been particularly hard hit as a result of the pandemic.

She says there are 14,000 jobs available and many restaurants are only operating at about 80 per cent capacity.