As many of you know, there is a shortage of workers in Alberta. The fast food restuarants are having to close early because they can't find enough employees. Tim Hortons, a Canadian institution, is hiring 13 year olds despite the fact that you have to be 14 to work legally in this province.
Today I was speaking with a manager at Wal- Mart. I noticed that they were closing at 4pm instead of 8pm these days.
He told me he can't find enough employees to install tires and do oil changes. He also said that there is a Wal-Mart in Edmonton which only has one employee in the automobile department.
They are open Monday to Friday 8-4pm closed at lunchtime. Unbelieveable !!

Actually, I believe the law was changed in the last year or so in Alberta, so that the minimum working age is now 12. I'm guessing the labour shortage you mention was behind the change. I think that is obscenely young to be getting a job, especially in fast food joints, but I believe it is legal.

I suppose if you start working at the age of 12, it should be good for seniority status at your work place when you buy your first pint

Maybe if you start at 12 you can actually retire one day?

I spoke to a few people who had been offered decent jobs in Alberta/Calgary but they said the problem is finding anywhere to live now that is affordable due to the huge housing bubble there.

Yes sadly this is all true fast food places and a whole lot of places are having to close early because of lack of staff. The annoying thing is when they are open they are either staffed by children or immigrants who can hardly speak English.

This results in very bad service and lots of wrong orders which can be annoying. On the other hand this is a symptom of a province which is making my house price grown,grow and grow. This fact at least makes me smile

One other plus is you canget a job at the drop of a hat here They aint too bothered if you have experience either which is also good opening up jobs you may otherwise not have had the chance to do. Oh and did i mention wages are becoming very competitive too because of it.

All in all i think i can put up with the lack of service from fast food joints

Surely that's not right? I thought these jobs were filled by British Drs and solicitors who can't get a job in Canada?

Dispelling the Myths About Adolescent Employment in Alberta’s Restaurant and Food Industry (See link below to Alberta Government info):


http://www.hre.gov.ab.ca/cps/rde/xch....xsl/3503.html

And for employees in general (Alberta) See the Employment Standards at this link:

http://www.hre.gov.ab.ca/cps/rde/xch....xsl/1224.html

I think it depends on the kid. I could not wait to start working and earning some 'serious money' (lol...) on top of my pitiful allowance! When I lived in Alberta I was 12 and I had a paper route and I washed dishes at 'Sarah's (or somebody's) Perogy House' on Friday and Saturday evenings. The paper route was legit but I think I got paid under the table at the restaurant - yeah, probably. I loved working (then) and I still had time to be a kid cos my friends and I always skipped school and hung out at the zoo.

I agree it does depend on the kid, and also the type of job. The ones you mention are pretty good for kids, it's when I see the 12 and 13 year olds standing behind the Tim Horton's counter all Saturday afternoon shilling coffee and doughnuts that I think they should be spared the experience for a few years.

It'd be nice to go a Tim Horton's where the staff spoke English, having to communicate by pointing makes the drive thru pretty pointless.

So it's looking good for Alberta then.

We start our intrepid journey west this weekend having spent a couple of years here in Ontario and are going to try Alberta next. Well, a bit of it anyway. See you on the other side.

Good luck!

I work in the hiring department for a well known chain store in Red Deer. If your breathing and speak moderate english - you got the job! Trouble is by the time you're offered the job and start work, you've gone elsewhere, been offered more money and don't bother turning up to start work OR you start work and then leave 3 weeks later for a job with more money For every one we hire 2 leave - it's exasperating! Mind you I'm off soon - crappy place to work for - starting pay $8.50 - no wonder no one stays when 14 year olds earn that in Maccy D's

i'm off to alberta (calgary) in a couple of weeks and i'll test your theory..we'll see how easy it REALLY is to find a job. if i can do it then and only then will i be convinced. .