Native Employment Patterns in Alberta’s Athabasca Oil Sands Region

The Canadian Institute for Research was commissioned in April 1978, by the Government of the Province of Alberta, Department of the Environment, to undertake a study designed to generate research problems and questions pertinent to a study of native employment patterns in the Athabasca Oil Sands region. This study included the identification, review, and analysis of existing data. It focused on information derived from: (1) existing literature on native employment and training programs across Canada and in the local area; (2) interviews conducted with key persons in industry, government, and training institutions; and (3) file data of employers, training institutions, and employment-related institutions in the area. From these sources, patterns and trends in native employment and employment training were identified; gaps and ambiguities about employment patterns and employment training programs were cited, and recommendations for future research forwarded. Research methods and findings from all data collection sources are described fully in this document. The reports are organized by data source. Each separate report contains summaries of findings from that source. Summary statements of findings, together with recommendations for further research, are presented in the final chapter, in the Digested Report, and the Executive Summary.