In Canada and Alberta, unemployment rates tick higher and higher

• The oil slump triggered more than 40,000 layoffs in the oil and gas industry in 2015.

• 2015 was the worst year for Alberta job losses since 1982.

• In April 2016, Alberta lost more jobs than the rest of Canada combined: 20,800.

• That number is expected to rise by many thousands before the year’s end.

Clean energy is going mainstream across the globe

• In 2015, more money flowed into new renewable electricity than new power from fossil fuels with US $325 billion invested globally.

• Investments in wind and solar outpace coal and gas two to one.

• Renewable energy jobs rose by 5% while traditional energy jobs fell in most countries.

• May 2016: the world’s largest coal company pivots to solar with a landmark 1,000 MW deal with California-based SolarReserve.

• Alberta is on track for 2,000 megawatts of solar energy by 2025, and 385 megawatts are in development right now.

Investors are excited at the massive market potential in Alberta and Canada

• Geothermal could put thousands from Alberta’s oil and gas sector back to work as the number of orphaned oil wells increases daily (400,000 have been drilled). The oil patch has the skills to harness each well’s massive geothermal potential.

• Alberta wind electricity is setting record highs while coal sets record lows.

• Renewable energy is becoming increasingly cost effective with solar energy technology costs coming down by 82% over the past six years.

• The Canadian clean energy sector has seen $25 billion invested in the past 5 years, with a 37% growth in jobs.  There are 144,000 potential jobs in renewable energy waiting just for Alberta.

Iron & Earth’s Solar Skills Renewable Energy Training Program

• Our program seeks to get 100 hands-on solar training programs in communities across Alberta.

• We want 1,000 workers trained in renewable energy installations and retrofitting.

• We’re working to implement high school curriculum materials to get future workers excited about the trades.