Edmonton, Alberta, Local 424 Business Manager Kevin Levy was honored to host Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He now wants to ensure the visit pays off for his membership, which is feeling the effects of the economic downturn in western Canada.

Trudeau toured 424's training facility on Feb. 1 along with Alberta Premier Rachel Notley and Minister of Infrastructure Amarjeet Sohi. Trudeau and Notley met earlier in the day, just the second time a prime minister and Alberta premier met during the provincial legislative session.

"He understands the importance of Alberta, the economy there, and getting people back to work," said Matt Wayland, First District political action and media strategist. "That [visiting 424] is a big statement."

It was a recognition by the newly elected prime minister of Alberta's economic difficulties due to the collapse of the oil sands-fueled energy boom.

Oil prices have plunged, dropping to less than $30 per barrel. Unemployment has skyrocketed. Statistics Canada reports Alberta lost nearly 20,000 jobs in 2015, the most in a calendar year since 1982.

Some analysts say the number of full-time jobs lost is closer to 35,000, with many of those displaced workers now working at lower-paying or part-time jobs. The province's unemployment rate at the end of 2015 was 7.4 percent, up from 4.6 percent at the same time during the previous year.

Local 424 has about 8,500 members. Approximately 1,200 of them currently are out of work, Levy said. Two years ago, just before the price of oil started falling in September 2014, there was such a demand that 4,000 IBEW members from outside Local 424 traveled into the province for jobs.

Levy said the only time things were worse in his 35-year IBEW career was during a recession from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. Jack Fullerton, an inside wireman and Local 424 member since 1975, remembers that as a difficult time as well.

"We have a lot people up here that have never experienced this situation before because of the long boom we had in the price of oil," Levy said. "It's the first time they've come to their union hall and we're not able to get them any work. It's been devastating to our families."

The combination of the economic downturn and a push by the provincial government toward renewable energy has forced unions to change training and job opportunities. Local 424 is no different, Levy said.

Trades leaders support the Energy East project — which would connect a pipeline from Alberta to markets along Canada's East Coast — but recognize that construction work in the oil sands will continue to dwindle during the next few years, he said.

Current projects will wind down and few, if any, new ones will start because the price of oil is so low. Enform, the safety organization for Canada's oil and gas industry, estimates construction jobs at oil sands sites will decrease by 84 percent by 2020. Workers will have to look more at maintenance and operations jobs at those facilities if they want to stay in the industry.

"We have an obligation to our members to chase work wherever it's available," Levy said.

The provincial government announced a plan late last year that called for 30 percent of Alberta's electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030. Levy said he and other IBEW leaders were expecting that and have invested heavily in solar training for members and apprentices.

Local 424 workers also were involved in the construction of Shell Canada's Quest Project, which captures carbon dioxide produced at Shell's facility in Scotford, Alberta, and permanently stores it.

"We partner with our contractors and scour the community and tell businesses to let us know when a new technology is coming out," Levy said. "When it's ready to be deployed in the field, we're ready and trained and we can strongly get at it."

Trudeau and Notley — who both took office within the last year — understand the problems working families face and are helping to find solutions, Levy said.

"Both of the [provincial and federal] governments are telling us they understand Alberta is hurting and are offering plans on what to do about it," Levy said.

Trudeau took over as prime minister after the Liberal Party won the majority of Parliamentary seats in national elections in October, ending nearly 10 years of Conservative control. Notley is the leader of the Alberta New Democratic Party, which won a majority in the provincial elections in May 2015, ending 44 years of conservative Tory rule. Her provincial seat is in Edmonton and Local 424 has been a longtime supporter, Levy said.

Trudeau pledged $704 million in federal money toward infrastructure improvements in the province, and is listening to suggestions from trade union leaders on where the money should best be spent.

Levy and Wayland said they urged Trudeau to also push for investments in large-scale projects like schools and hospitals.

"What the IBEW can do is point to areas where they can put the money to work immediately for projects that are ready to go," Wayland said. "Not only are you putting people to work, but you're driving social change."