Alberta Sector Profile: Social Assistance

Highlights

  • The social assistance subsector (NAICS 624) employed 55,600 people in Alberta in 2021. This represented about 2% of total employment in Alberta.
  • Social assistance includes four industry groups: individual and family services; community food and housing, and emergency and other relief services; vocational rehabilitation services; and child day care services.
  • Within social assistance in Alberta, 30,000 people worked within paraprofessional occupations in legal, social, community and education services in 2021. Women represented 90% of the workforce in this occupational grouping.
  • Employment prospects are expected to be good in social assistance occupations between 2022 and 2023.
  • $3.8 billion in federal funding for child care was announced in 2021, part of the Government of Canada's plan to create a national early learning and child care system. This funding is expected to add 42,500 new licensed child care spaces and between 8,500 to 10,625 early childhood education jobs in Alberta by 2026.

Provincial Overview

The social assistance subsector employs a variety of workers in Alberta. Some of the occupations within the subsector include social and community workers, counsellors, and early child care educators.

Line graph showing sector employment from 2011 to 2021

Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey, ESDC custom table

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Social Assistance Employment

Year Employment (Total) Full-time Part-time
2011 49,400 36,600 12,800
2012 48,900 37,500 11,400
2013 41,300 32,900 8,400
2014 42,700 34,000 8,700
2015 47,100 35,500 11,600
2016 44,000 33,800 10,200
2017 49,600 40,900 8,700
2018 49,200 40,100 9,100
2019 48,800 37,400 11,400
2020 58,300 47,000 11,300
2021 55,600 43,200 12,400

Note: Figures shown are employment estimates. Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding.

In 2021, there were about 55,600 people employed in the social assistance subsector, which represents about 2% of total employment in the province. About 29,700 of these jobs are in the individual and family services industry group; 19,900 are employed in the child day-care services industry group; 2,900 people employed in the community food and housing, and emergency services industry groups; and 2,900 in the vocational rehabilitation services industry group as of 2021. Employment in the social assistance subsector as a whole decreased by -2,700 (-5%) from 2020 to 2021. This is a trend seen across the four industry groups (with the exception of vocational rehabilitation – see Sector Trends).

In 2021, females represented 85% of the social assistance sector's employees. Within the industy groups, women make up 85% of the workforce in invividual & family services, and 59% in both community community food & housing & emergency services and vocational rehab services. Women make up 93% of employment in the child day-care services industry group.

Chart showing employment distribution by gender in 2021

Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey, ESDC custom table

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Gender Distribution (2021)

Gender % of Sector Employment
Female 85%
Male 15%

In 2021, 78% of workers employed in the social assistance subsector were in the core working age (25-54 years old).

In 2020, the social assistance industry contributed $1.5 billion to the Alberta economy. This represents 0.5% of the total provincial economy.

Chart showing employment distribution by age in 2021

Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey, ESDC custom table. Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding.

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Age Distribution (2021)

Age Group % of Sector Employment
15-24 years 8%
25-54 years 78%
55+ years 15%

Sector Trends

In the last 5 years, Alberta's population has increased by about 200,000 people (+4.8%). In fact, Alberta has experienced some of the highest population growth rates in Canada over the last decade. [1] As the population has grown, so too has demand for the social assistance subsector. From 2011 to 2021, employment in the social assistance subsector increased by +6,200 jobs (+13%).

While employment in this subsector has increased overall over the long term (2011-2021), overall employment in the social assistance subsector decreased by -2,700 jobs (-5%) during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021). In the four industry groups, there was a decline in employment in 2021. There was a decrease of -3,400 jobs (-10%) in the individual & family services and a decrease of -1,700 jobs (-8%) in child day-care services industry groups in 2021. There were slight increases in employment in the community food & housing, & emergency services (+1,200) and vocational rehabilitation services (+1,600) industry groups. Employment in the social assistance sector decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when demand for counsellors, social workers, and community workers was likely very high.

Chart showing the percentage of self-employment in 2021

Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey, ESDC custom table

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21% of workers were self-employed in 2021

While the COVID-19 pandemic has been a particularly hard time for the social assistance subsector, recent funding announcments will likely increase employment in the subsector in the short to medium term (see Occupation of Interest: Early Childhood Educators and Assistants and Employment Outlook).

Occupation of Interest: Early Childhood Educators and Assistants

This section focuses on one occupation within social assistance related subsectors: early childhood educators and assistants. Early childhood educators and assistants plan, organize and implement programs for children between the ages of infancy and 12 years. Early childhood educator assistants provide care for infants and preschool- to school-age children under the guidance of early childhood educators. Early childhood educators and assistants lead children in activities to stimulate and develop their intellectual, physical and emotional growth and ensure their security and well-being. [2], [3]

For more information on the job description, job duties, job titles, and related occupations, please see the job bank profile of Early childhood educators and assistants in Alberta, which includes up to date information on wages and job prospects. The average hourly wage is $20.20 and the average salary is $34,691, according to  2020 provincial data. [4]

Approximately 20,300 people work in this occupation across Alberta. Of these, 81% are full-time workers and 19% are part-time workers (compared to 81% and 19%, respectively, for all occupations). Most early child educators and assistants work in social assistance (84%) while 10% work in elementary and secondary schools. The 2020 Early Childhood Education Report, produced every three years by the University of Toronto's Atkinson Centre for Society and Child Development, found that 40% of early childhood education spaces were non-profit compared to 60% for profit, in comparison to 2017 where the ratio was 43%-57%, respectively. [5]

Stacked bar graph showing occupational employment from 2011 to 2021

Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey, ESDC custom table

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Occupational Employment

Year Employment (Total) Full-time Part-time
2011 22,400 16,400 6,000
2012 19,400 14,800 4,500
2013 17,200 13,600 3,600
2014 18,600 14,300 4,300
2015 21,200 16,100 5,100
2016 21,200 17,000 4,200
2017 22,100 17,900 4,200
2018 20,100 15,400 4,800
2019 20,400 15,600 4,800
2020 20,300 15,900 4,400
2021 20,300 16,400 3,800

Note: Figures shown are employment estimates. Totals may not add to 100% due to rounding.

The job vacancy rate for early child educators and assistants in Alberta increased by 78% from the fourth quarter of 2019 to the third quarter of 2021. [6] At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Alberta lost roughly 20 per cent of its licensed early childhood educators from March 2020 to March 2021. [7]  This is consistent with findings from Statistics Canada's 2020 Survey on Early Learning and Child Care Arrangements, which found children aged zero to five living in Alberta were much less likely to be in child care in late 2020 (41%) than in 2019 (54%). [8] Employment has now recovered for early childhood educators as of the most recent data from 2021. [9] Full time employment gains for early childhood educators and assistants (+3%, or 500 jobs) have been offset by part time employment losses (-14%, or 600 jobs). [10]

In July 2021, the Alberta and federal governments extended the Canada–Alberta Early Learning and Child Care Agreement that will provide Alberta over $290 million in funding over 4 years. [11] The provincial government recently signed an extension to the Canada-Alberta Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, which includes $56 million in 2021-22 for the recruitment, retention, and training of an early childhood workforce. [12] Most of the agreements include a wage scale that would increase the pay for certified educators who work in government-funded, licensed child-care facilities, based on their education and training. [13]  As well, Alberta's 2022 Budget announced $666M in operating funds in 2022-23, and more than $2.6B by 2024-25 to enhance the affordability and accessibility of licensed child-care programs. [14]

Further to these announcements, in November 2021 Alberta and Canada signed an agreement that will allocate $3.8 billion towards regulated child care spaces for children under six years old. [15] This agreement aims to reduce fees for parents of children zero to kindergarten age by an average of half beginning in January 2022, to an average of $10 per day child care by 2026. [16] Alberta estimates this funding will add at least 42,500 new licensed child care spaces over the next 5 years and the Government of Canada estimates it will create between 8,500 to 10,625 early childhood educator jobs. [17]

In 2021 (the most recent data available), 1,800 early childhood educators identified as Indigenous in Alberta. While this number is up 80% since 2015, the data is suppressed for 2022 so it is evident the number has dipped since last year, though it is not known by how much [18] .

The Federal Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families came into force on January 1, 2020. The Act affirms the jurisdiction of all Indigenous Peoples with regards to child and family services and establishes national principles to help guide the provision of child and family services in relation to Indigenous children. [19] If Indigenous groups wish to exercise their right to inherent jurisdiction, they must negotiate a “coordination agreement” with Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and the relevant provincial authorities. [20] In Alberta, Cold Lake First Nation [21] , Loon River First Nation, Lubicon Lake Band and Peerless Trout First Nation [22] , and the Louis Bull Tribe [23] have made use of this legislation and are in various stages of the process to signal their intentions to give Indigenous communities the ability to offer their own child and family services. As more Nations negotiate with the federal and provincial governments, it is expected the number of Indigenous early childhood educators in Alberta will likely continue to increase.

Employment Outlook

Employment prospects will be good between 2021 and 2023 for occupations in the social assistance sector. Federal and provincial funding for child care will lead to additional jobs in the sector [24] , and Alberta's shifting demographics, namely an increasing proportion of people 65 and older, will impact the types of social assistance services needed by clients, such as home support and group support to improve quality of life for the elderly.  

Alberta's 2022 Budget announced $666M in operating funds in 2022-23, and more than $2.6B by 2024-25 to enhance the affordability and accessibility of licensed child-care programs. [25] As well, in November 2021, Alberta announced $21.5 million in pandemic funding to ease capacity issues at homeless and women's shelters across the province. About $6.5 million is earmarked for COVID-19 isolation facilities for homeless people who have been exposed to the virus. Finally, $2 million will support women's shelters, which are dealing with increased rates of domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Emergency services are a part of the social services subsector and though it is likely much of these funds will go towards operating costs, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the number of people experiencing homelessness across the province, exacerbating the need for emergency and temporary services. [26]

Finally, in Alberta's 2022 Budget, the province is allocating nearly $3.7 billion for community care, continuing care, and home care programs, an increase of 6.3 per cent from the 2021-22 forecast. A total of 1,515 new continuing care beds, including long-term care, designated supported living, and mental health beds are planned to open in 2022-23. To modernize continuing care facilities and generate new spaces to address Alberta's aging population, $204.1 million over three years is being provided. The budget also outlines $20 million over four years to improve access to palliative care and caregiver support, this includes providing earlier access to care upon diagnosis, as well as education and training, community services and supports, and research and innovation. [27] These investments, combined with the factors listed above, are expected to contribute to a good outlook for the subsector in the coming year.

Note

In preparing this document, the authors have taken care to provide clients with labour market information that is timely and accurate at the time of publication. Since labour market conditions are dynamic, some of the information presented here may have changed since this document was published. Users are encouraged to also refer to other sources for additional information on the local economy and labour market. Information contained in this document does not necessarily reflect official policies of Employment and Social Development Canada.

Prepared by: Labour Market Information (LMI) Directorate, Service Canada, Western Canada and Territories Region

For further information, please contact the LMI team

Endnotes

  1. CBC News (Feb 09, 2022) Growth rate slows, but Alberta population still up nearly 200,000 over 2016: census ↑

  2. Such as: Childcare and daycare centres; Family day homes; Out-of-school care programs; Preschools or playschools; Recreation centres; Kindergarten classrooms; Early intervention programs; Family support programs and resource centres; and Domestic violence shelters. ↑

  3. Government of Alberta (2022) Early childhood educators and assistants ↑

  4. Government of Alberta (2022) Early childhood educators and assistants ↑

  5. Akbari, E., McCuaig, K., & Foster, D. (2021). The Early Childhood Education Report 2020. ↑

  6. Statistics Canada Table 14-10-0356-01 (formerly CANSIM 285-0003) ↑

  7. CBC News (August 13, 2021) Alberta lost one in five licensed early childhood educators during 1st year of pandemic, data shows ↑

  8. Statistics Canada (2020). Survey on Early Learning and Child Care Arrangements ↑

  9. Statistics Canada (2022). Labour Force Survey. Custom Tables. ↑

  10. Statistics Canada (2022). Labour Force Survey. Custom Tables. ↑

  11. Canadian HR Reporter (July 26, 2021) Feds expand child care supports in Alberta, Yukon ↑

  12. Government of Alberta (2022) Changes to Alberta's child care system ↑

  13. CBC News (August 13, 2021) Alberta lost one in five licensed early childhood educators during 1st year of pandemic, data shows ↑

  14. Government of Alberta (2022) 2022-23 Budget ↑

  15. Government of Canada (2021) Economic and Fiscal Update 2021 ↑

  16. Government of Alberta (2022) Federal-provincial child care agreement ↑

  17. Government of Canada (2021) Economic and Fiscal Update 2021 ↑

  18. Data suppression occurs when geographic areas have a population below a certain threshold, and are not published for confidentiality reasons. ↑

  19. Government of Canada (2019) Backgrounder: An Act respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis children, youth and families ↑

  20. APTN News (Jan 1, 2020) Federal Indigenous child welfare Bill C-92 kicks in – now what? ↑

  21. APTN News (Feb 1, 2022) Cold Lake First Nation bringing children back from Alberta's child welfare system ↑

  22. Edmonton Journal (Dec 5, 2021) Three Alberta First Nations planning to take over child welfare ↑

  23. Toronto Star (Mar 8, 2021) Louis Bull celebrates its own law to bring the children home ↑

  24. Government of Alberta (2022) 2022-23 Budget ↑

  25. Government of Alberta (2022) 2022-23 Budget ↑

  26. CBC News (November 17, 2021) Alberta announces $21.5 million to help homeless, domestic violence shelters this winter ↑

  27. Edmonton Journal (Feb 24, 2022) Alberta Budget: Health care gets $515-million boost, focuses on capacity issues, expanding continuing care ↑

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