Sask. seeing job growth, need for larger labour pool

The Saskatchewan government is touting job growth in the province.

Ken Cheveldayoff, a Saskatchewan MLA representing Saskatoon Willowgrove, emphasized rising job numbers and low unemployment rates in the province when he spoke to reporters at EnviroWay Detergent Manufacturer on Friday.

In February, Cheveldayoff said the province logged growth of 9,400 jobs year-over-year and marked 23 straight months of job growth.

He said Saskatchewan’s current unemployment rate is the second lowest in Canada at 4.3 per cent, and well below the national average.

Saskatchewan is making strides towards the government’s goal of adding 100,000 jobs by 2030, Cheveldayoff said.

He highlighted growth in private investment, a low cost of living and the supportive business environment in the province. Cheveldayoff also emphasized that the government is doing everything it can to support growth — including offering programs and services to employers for recruiting, training and retention of employees.

Cheveldayoff said that includes supporting job seekers through matching, career planning, support for skills training, talent sourcing, training and retention support.

The MLA said EnviroWay, a Saskatoon business, represents a good example of the growth in the province.

Bob Bahari, EnviroWay’s president and CEO, has been in Canada for 45 years. He immigrated from India, and aid he feels Canada is a place for opportunity.

He’s been in business for about three decades, and incorporated his company in 1987. The idea behind EnviroWay, he explained, was that his background in chemistry could help make the world better for everyone.

Focused on green chemistry, a lesser-known concept when the business was founded, Bahari built his company into what it is today — one that creates cleaning products out of organic, local materials and works to reduce waste by reusing packaging, encouraging refills, and selling small but potent amounts of its products to be diluted with water by customers. As a result, Bahari said, one jug of cleaner made by his company can replace about 250 jugs of other cleaners.

Bahari said these efforts allow customers to have more product to use for longer periods of time while also cutting down on both direct plastic waste and transportation pollution.

“Everyone’s talking about how to reduce plastic waste, how to reduce the carbon footprint,” Bahari said.

Since 1987, the company has also grown from just Bahari himself to 300 employees. Bahari said EnviroWay is committed to both creating local jobs and strengthening the local economy.

Cheveldayoff said EnviroWay is a company that will become a household name, and one he’s proud to have in Saskatchewan.

For those who wish to call Saskatchewan home, Cheveldayoff said huge improvements have been made for professionals like nurses, doctors, teachers and engineers.

When asked about sectors currently struggling to hire, Cheveldayoff said immigration is a significant part of the solution. As an MLA, Cheveldayoff said he hears from many businesses wanting to fulfill those requirements.

Cheveldayoff called immigration a top priority. That includes attracting skilled labour and creating a larger labour pool for businesses and employers to draw from, Cheveldayoff noted.

He noted there is more work to be done, even as the business community in Saskatchewan continues to grow.