COLD LAKE – The City of Cold Lake is experiencing a change in employment prospects with the Rural Renewal Stream program. Due to the success of the program, the City has already been given authorization to continue the program until 2025.
This initiative has emerged to align job seekers with opportunities and help the local landscape with a newfound economic effort, according to the City of Cold Lake.
The Rural Renewal Stream presents an opportunity for eligible immigrants to integrate into the community with the full support and endorsement of the municipality. This program functions to attract and retain newcomers while helping local employers address crucial labour shortages.
Since its launch and the commencement of applications in May, the program has given 113 worker endorsement letters, coupled with an impressive 220 job postings stemming from 121 vetted workplace applications.
“There are some labour gaps in our community that local businesses have had a hard time filling,” explains Mayor Craig Copeland. “We see the Rural Renewal Stream program helping fill these gaps, which also gives a boost to our local economy.”
According to the city of Cold Lake, because of the success of the program, some neighbouring communities in northern Alberta have had to temporarily halt their programs to manage applications. The communities include Olds, Barrhead, and Edson Alberta. However, Copeland reassured the community that "Our program is still open and running. Our team has been working tirelessly to ensure swift application reviews, preventing any potential backlog."
The success of Cold Lake's program has garnered recognition from the Government of Alberta, which has given authorization for its operation until 2025. A scheduled audit at the program's conclusion in 2025 will determine the possibility of extending this initiative.
There is a process for local employers to apply for the program. Employers who have had a difficult time being able to fill positions locally and regionally can complete the application found on the city of Cold Lake’s website.
Steps to apply
The City’s development team will look over the application and may conduct an interview with the employer to see if eligibility is met.
If the application is approved, the position will be posted on the City of Cold Lake’s Rural Renewal Stream Job Board within 48 hours.
If a candidate is found, the employer has to apply for a letter of endorsement. Once the candidate receives a letter of endorsement, they must apply for a provincial nomination through the Alberta Advantage immigration program and follow the appropriate steps.
Once a person gains employment through the program, there is follow-up with Cold Lake and District FCSS that will provide the newcomer with information and available support.
