The Business Council of British Columbia has launched an awareness campaign to counter the provinceB次元官网网址檚 rising outward migration to Alberta.

The business advocacy group says its B次元官网网址淪tay with B.C.B次元官网网址� campaign is placing advertisements on billboards and transit stops, as well as online, in cities such as Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna and Prince George, urging residents to think twice before moving to Alberta for economic or other reasons.

Council president Laura Jones says the campaign is inspired by the B次元官网网址淎lberta is CallingB次元官网网址� campaign launched in 2022, targeting skilled workers in other provinces with financial incentives and promises of better affordability at a comparable lifestyle.

Data released by Statistics Canada in April, say B.C. lost more people than it gained in interprovincial migration in 2023 for the first time in more than a decade, with a net loss of 8,624 people to other Canadian jurisdictions.

Alberta reported a gain of 55,000 B次元官网网址� the biggest interprovincial increase recorded since tracking began in 1972 B次元官网网址� and it was the most popular Canadian destination for those leaving B.C.

Jones says that while the B次元官网网址淪tay with B.C.B次元官网网址� campaign B次元官网网址渄oesnB次元官网网址檛 have all the answersB次元官网网址� on stemming the population flow, it has the potential to spur conversations among people who are considering a move.

The advertisements are designed to look like an incoming cellphone call or an online dating profile from Alberta, with messages prompting readers to reconsider answering or B次元官网网址渟wiping rightB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� a term for accepting someone on a dating app.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e all heard those AlbertaB次元官网网址檚 Calling ads, and also Invest Alberta is being pretty assertive right now and theyB次元官网网址檝e opened an office in British Columbia,B次元官网网址� Jones says. B次元官网网址淪o, we thought this would be a way to put the focus on a strong economy while having a little fun.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a very serious topic,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淲e want young people to see a future in the province. But that doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean we canB次元官网网址檛 have a little bit of fun to get peopleB次元官网网址檚 attention on the importance of a strong economy.B次元官网网址�

AlbertaB次元官网网址檚 third-quarter population report released this week says the province recorded CanadaB次元官网网址檚 highest interprovincial migration gains for the ninth straight quarter, adding 3,170 more people from B.C. than it lost in the other direction.

Only Ontario had a higher net-loss of residents with 4,369 for the three-month period.

Premier David Eby had said B.C. is tackling the issue of affordability and economic opportunities for skilled labour B次元官网网址渉ead on,B次元官网网址� but also noted that the province did see an overall population increase of more than 178,000 in 2023 that was fuelled by international migration.

Morgan Westcott, associate dean of marketing programs at the B.C. Institute of Technology, says it will be up to government and stakeholders to address affordability in the province, but there is more the province can do with branding to attract and keep talent from moving to Alberta.

Westcott says B.C. has been very effective in marketing itself as a tourism destination, and the provinceB次元官网网址檚 natural beauty should be leveraged more, not only for getting visitors, but as a selling point for skilled labour.

B次元官网网址淚 think sometimes what weB次元官网网址檙e missing in B.C. is this singularity of brand, and of voice, and of purpose in our campaigns,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淏ecause if itB次元官网网址檚 an attractive place to visit for a weekend, it should be an attractive place to settle and to invest and to build your future. And sometimes I think we really miss an opportunity when we treat them as two separate things.B次元官网网址�

Westcott notes that the B次元官网网址淎lberta is CallingB次元官网网址� campaign places lifestyle as one of its three pillars for attracting skilled labour, alongside career opportunities and affordability, with all three factors forming the foundation of the Alberta brand.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 a Vancouver born-and-raised person, so IB次元官网网址檓 very biased, but it is fairly spectacular what we have available to us, and it is on a different level,B次元官网网址� she says of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 access to nature and quality of life.

B次元官网网址�(Alberta) is leveraging some very similar things, and yet at the same time, I think we do have different cities that are vibrant in different ways,B次元官网网址� she says.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know how you tackle the affordability piece B次元官网网址� and I say that as a life-long Vancouverite B次元官网网址� and maybe itB次元官网网址檚 not about that. Maybe itB次元官网网址檚 about that B次元官网网址� something thatB次元官网网址檚 this exceptional B次元官网网址� does come at a cost.B次元官网网址�

Jones says the business council will be tracking future population numbers and economic indicators to see if its advertisements have moved the needle in keeping talent in B.C., and her team is already thinking about the next phase of the campaign.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e got lots and lots of opportunity to create those high-paying jobs, and we just need to lean into making sure that all of our sectors can be thriving,B次元官网网址� she says.