Island workers out west plan to move home: survey

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A new survey of P.E.I. tradespeople shows money is the main reason many of them move out west, contributing to the Island's labour shortage in the construction industry.

But the survey by the Residential Construction Sector Council also suggests most of the workers quickly discover the financial benefits come at a price. In fact, about half of the nearly 100 respondents said they plan to move back to P.E.I. within three years, the survey found.

"We found in this industry there's been a shortage of skilled trade workers, and we wanted to investigate where they're going, and what was taking them off the island," said executive director Tracy Gormley.

Most of the workers seem to be in Alberta and their big reason for leaving P.E.I. was money - low wages, a shortage of full-time work, and little or no benefits, she said.

"The wages are way higher," said Doug Younker, who has worked construction on P.E.I. for 40 years, but recently spent a year out west after being laid off. "Benefits. Overtime. They'll fly you back and forth."
Larry Stewart has seen workers be lured out west.

"I lost three guys to out there last year so, and when you have nine or 10, it does affect you," he said Thursday at a new housing development site in Stratford.

"Everybody has run into the same problem the last few years, they were losing guys and there aren't many around to hire.

"You don't get as many jobs because you don't have the guys to do it."

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Financial benefits come at price
But many of the workers who have left the Island are also realizing being out west means a higher cost of living, longer work days and time away from family, said Morgan Fisher, president of the Residential Construction Sector Council.

"I find that it's the draw for out west. And just the whole thing that you go out west and make this big pot of gold. And guys are getting out there, and realize you have to work hard for it. Conditions aren't great," he said.

"So is it a matter of going out there and discovering really your heart is here and accepting a lower wage? You betcha. As long as there's work here, they'd stay here."

Out migration has not been as big a problem for P.E.I.'s construction industry during the past year.

With the downturn in the economy, the number of job opportunities out west has dropped, while on P.E.I., houses continue to go up.

Still, the construction sector council says the survey indicates employers may have to up their wages and start offering more benefits to keep workers at home.

"As employers we need to maybe up the ante," said Stewart. "A lot of guys say we can't afford to. Well maybe we can't afford not to."