Alberta's Gig Economy

The State of Gig Work in Alberta: Trends, Challenges, and Solutions, a new report from the Calgary Social Policy Collaborative (SPC), examines the state of gig work in Alberta and offers recommendations for building a more resilient gig economy. 

Gig work is on-demand work provided on a per-service basis by independent contractors, often through online platforms. Gig work offers flexibility in scheduling and few barriers to employment. However, it frequently comes with low pay and few benefits.  

SPC’s report, in partnership with Dr. Andrew McGee of the University of Alberta, investigated Alberta’s gig economy to gain a deeper understanding and provide recommendations for improvement. Specifically, the report includes an analysis of Statistics Canada data and presents findings from interviews with gig workers in Alberta. 

It took me 2.5 years to recover from a car accident that should have taken me 3 months, so the health impacts were prolonged because I was in chronic pain and had to return to gig work quickly.

What the Report Found 

Important findings from the report centred on the types of gig work people engaged in, the demographics of those involved, and the compensation gig workers receive for their time. Notably: 

Gig workers in Alberta earn approximately $15,000 to $25,000 less annually than those in more conventional jobs. Nationally, 29% of gig workers earn below the minimum wage, compared to just 1% of workers in conventional jobs.  
In Alberta, gig work is more common amongst women and older populations. The most common types of gig work are delivery services, followed by professional services, and ride-sharing services. Women are less likely to be engaged in ridesharing and food delivery but more likely to be involved in house-sitting and medical services than men. This likely indicates gendered concerns about safety for certain types of gig work. 
Alberta’s gig workers were more likely than non-gig workers to hold multiple jobs and to consider a part-time job their primary employer. This trend suggests that gig workers may have greater financial need and vulnerability than other segments of Alberta’s workforce.  
Gig workers are substantially less likely to receive employer-sponsored benefits compared to non-gig workers.
Although the flexibility of gig work was noted as a benefit, concerns about safety, exploitation, and low pay were also raised during interviews with gig workers.

You'll be on the app for four hours and maybe only earn $15.

What the Report Recommends 

Based on the findings, the report outlines recommendations to improve financial stability and worker protections, including: 

Enhancing employment standards and wage protections.  

Expanding employment standards to include protections for gig workers, following examples in British Columbia and Ontario.  
Broadening minimum wage protections for gig workers to protect them from subminimum wages for engaged time at work.  
Providing protections for all workers, including gig workers, which prevent employers from withholding tips and other compensation.

Improving access to benefits and social assistance.  

Adopting automatic tax filing for all low-income workers, including gig workers, ensuring they will automatically receive the benefits to which they are entitled.  
Providing sick leave, parental leave, workers' compensation, and other portable benefits to gig workers. This could be co-financed through a surcharge on gig-economy transactions, paid by end-users, as well as through employer contributions.

Strengthening worker education, advocacy, and safety.  

Providing education that informs gig workers of their rights, options, and how to optimize their earning potential (e.g., filing taxes, claiming mileage, incorporating, retirement planning, etc.).  
Developing an impartial body responsible for resolving disputes within the gig economy, whether between platforms and workers, or workers and end-users. They could also serve as a body to track complaints filed against online platforms.

A more in-depth overview of findings and recommendations can be viewed here. For a detailed look at Dr. McGee’s quantitative analysis, click here. 

About the Social Policy Collaborative 

The Calgary Social Policy Collaborative (SPC) is a group of community organizations working together to inform the development and implementation of public policy that improves the economic and social well-being of Calgarians and Albertans. The SPC is co-chaired by Vibrant Communities Calgary and The Alex. 