Four Strong Winds, Wide-Open Skies, and Renewable Energy Jobs: Did Alberta Miss the Bus?

Alberta’s identity is tied to the land and the elements: wide-open skies, big horizons, and the kind of wind that inspired Ian Tyson’s iconic song “Four Strong Winds.”

We’ve always been an energy province. The question now is whether those same defining features—our wind and our sun—can help power the next chapter of Alberta’s economy, creating durable employment while strengthening our electricity system.

A national labour-market study points to a clear opportunity: renewable electricity isn’t only an environmental story. It’s increasingly a jobs story—especially for skilled trades, technical roles, and the supply chains that support major buildouts.

But Alberta’s path hasn’t been a straight line. The province’s temporary approvals pause for new renewable projects raised a reasonable question: did Alberta miss the bus on renewable energy jobs—at least in the short term?

What the labour market evidence says: renewables are part of the job-growth engine

In late 2023, Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC)—in partnership with Ontario Power Generation (OPG)—released Electricity in Demand: Labour Market Insights 2023–2028. (EHRC)

The report’s renewables-relevant message is straightforward:

  • It anticipates strong electricity-sector employment growth in the Prairies under a net-zero pathway, driven in part by growth in renewables (beyond hydro). 
  • It notes that expansion demand is expected to be ~12,000 jobs by 2028, and that growth is largely driven by expanded solar and/or wind projects, which are typically more labour-intensive than conventional sources like large hydro and coal. 
  • Hiring signals are already visible: postings containing phrases like “renewable energy,” “solar power,” and “wind power generation” increased 56% from 2018–2022, alongside major growth in wind and PV-related job titles.   

In other words: if Alberta wants jobs from the energy transition, wind and solar are among the most job-creating parts of the electricity buildout, especially during project development and construction.

The approvals pause: what happened and when

That’s why the timing matters.

The Government of Alberta directed the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) to pause approvals of new renewable electricity projects over 1 MW beginning Aug. 3, 2023 and ending Feb. 29, 2024. 

The AUC later confirmed the pause regulation expired Feb. 29, 2024, allowing approvals to resume as of March 1, 2024. 

Did Alberta miss the bus?

To be fair and accurate: a pause does not automatically equal “jobs lost.” But it can mean something else that matters in real life—momentum interrupted.

Because wind and solar projects are typically labour-intensive to develop and build, a slowdown in approvals can plausibly result in near-term work being deferred, and in some cases, investment decisions being redirected. The labour-market report explicitly ties expansion-driven job growth to wind and solar buildout and describes those projects as more labour-intensive. 

External analysis during the pause period estimated that uncertainty could put a large amount of renewable investment and associated “job-years” at risk.

So the most defensible answer is this:

Alberta may not have missed the entire bus—but the pause likely put a damper on the short-term construction and development window where many renewable jobs are created.

The bigger opportunity: building a “second engine” for Alberta’s economy

Alberta’s economic strength has always come from turning natural advantages into world-class energy industries. The best renewables framing isn’t “either/or.” It’s “and.”

Wind and solar can:

  • expand the electricity supply needed for growth and electrification,
  • create trades and technical employment tied to development, construction, and ongoing operations,
  • and support economic diversification by adding another major energy lane alongside oil and gas.

That’s the real question behind “did we miss the bus?”

Not whether renewables replace what came before—but whether Alberta captures a next wave of investment and employment by building a predictable pipeline, aligning training, and moving from pause to progress.

Ending where Alberta began: commitments meant to last

Alberta’s story is also Treaty territory. Many people know the enduring Treaty promise in words often shared as “as long as the sun shines, the rivers flow, and the grass grows.” 

(You’ll also sometimes hear it expanded in everyday speech—because the meaning is bigger than one line: it points to responsibilities intended to endure.)

If Alberta’s future is shaped by the sun and the wind, then the opportunity ahead is not only economic. It’s about doing this work in a way that respects the land, communities, and long-term relationships—as long as the sun shines, the rivers flow, and the grass grows, —and in Alberta, we might add: and the winds blow.”

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