The Business Council of British Columbia has launched an awareness campaign to counter the province香蕉视频直播檚 rising outward migration to Alberta.

The business advocacy group says its 香蕉视频直播淪tay with B.C.香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播淎lberta is Calling香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播� the biggest interprovincial increase recorded since tracking began in 1972 香蕉视频直播� and it was the most popular Canadian destination for those leaving B.C.

Jones says that while the 香蕉视频直播淪tay with B.C.香蕉视频直播� campaign 香蕉视频直播渄oesn香蕉视频直播檛 have all the answers香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播渟wiping right香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� a term for accepting someone on a dating app.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e all heard those Alberta香蕉视频直播檚 Calling ads, and also Invest Alberta is being pretty assertive right now and they香蕉视频直播檝e opened an office in British Columbia,香蕉视频直播� Jones says. 香蕉视频直播淪o, we thought this would be a way to put the focus on a strong economy while having a little fun.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a very serious topic,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播淲e want young people to see a future in the province. But that doesn香蕉视频直播檛 mean we can香蕉视频直播檛 have a little bit of fun to get people香蕉视频直播檚 attention on the importance of a strong economy.香蕉视频直播�

Alberta香蕉视频直播檚 third-quarter population report released this week says the province recorded Canada香蕉视频直播檚 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 香蕉视频直播渉ead on,香蕉视频直播� 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 province香蕉视频直播檚 natural beauty should be leveraged more, not only for getting visitors, but as a selling point for skilled labour.

香蕉视频直播淚 think sometimes what we香蕉视频直播檙e missing in B.C. is this singularity of brand, and of voice, and of purpose in our campaigns,香蕉视频直播� she says. 香蕉视频直播淏ecause if it香蕉视频直播檚 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.香蕉视频直播�

Westcott notes that the 香蕉视频直播淎lberta is Calling香蕉视频直播� 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.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 a Vancouver born-and-raised person, so I香蕉视频直播檓 very biased, but it is fairly spectacular what we have available to us, and it is on a different level,香蕉视频直播� she says of B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 access to nature and quality of life.

香蕉视频直播�(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,香蕉视频直播� she says.

香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 know how you tackle the affordability piece 香蕉视频直播� and I say that as a life-long Vancouverite 香蕉视频直播� and maybe it香蕉视频直播檚 not about that. Maybe it香蕉视频直播檚 about that 香蕉视频直播� something that香蕉视频直播檚 this exceptional 香蕉视频直播� does come at a cost.香蕉视频直播�

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.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝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,香蕉视频直播� she says.