Research project seeks Maritime families with a member who works in the oil and gas sector in northern Alberta
A joint research project at the University of Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton University is seeking families with a member who migrates to northern Alberta to work in the oil and gas sector. The research team is led by Dr. Christina Murray, assistant professor at UPEI’s School of Nursing, and includes Dr. Ashlee Cunsolo Willox, Canada Research Chair in Determinants of Healthy Communities at Cape Breton University, and Dr. Doug Lionais, associate professor at CBU’s Shannon School of Business. The project is supported by an Insight Development Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).
“Our team is exploring mobile work from a number of different lenses, to gain a better understanding of how our quest for energy and natural resources affects our society and our position on the world stage,” said Dr. Murray. “To our knowledge, this project is the first in Canada to explore how the coming and going between the Maritimes and northern Alberta is impacting intergenerational family members: those who leave for employment, those who are left behind, and the role of extended family members such as grandparents who support families participating in mobile work. This research will help us better understand how intergenerational family members are experiencing the coming and going of loved ones in Maritime Canada.”
A significant portion of workers in Alberta oil sands projects come from Atlantic Canada. Despite this recent labour trend, specific statistics of mobile labour flows are not known. This lack of information leaves a critical gap in our understanding of the phenomenon, particularly, the number of people leaving for employment, the number of people left behind, and the impact on individuals, families, and communities.
“Mobile work, when undertaken in such great numbers, restructures the very fabric of a community,” said Dr. Lionais. “This occurs first and foremost at the family level as members shift and adapt to having one member periodically absent from the household.”
“While we know that mobile work effects many families in PEI and Cape Breton, what we don’t yet know is the type or the extent of these impacts,” said Dr. Cunsolo Willox. “We are excited to work with families on both Islands, as well as key stakeholders, to further explore and understand the ways in which individuals, families, and communities are experiencing this type of labour structure, and working together to find ways to support both the workers and their families.”
Phase one of the research has already been completed, as the team has identified and interviewed community leaders, volunteers, and professionals who support families with a mobile family member. In phase two, the team will be recruiting families across Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton who are willing to talk about their experiences.
If your family has a member who travels back and forth to northern Alberta and would like to learn more about the project, or how to participate in it, please contact Dr. Christina Murray at 902-303-0303 or cfmurray@upei.ca.
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) is the federal research-funding agency that promotes and supports postsecondary-based research and research training in the humanities and social sciences. By focusing on developing talent, generating insights and forging connections across campuses and communities, SSHRC strategically supports world-leading initiatives that reflect a commitment to ensuring a better future for Canada and the world.
