Crossfield feels the pinch as oilpatch layoffs continue

As oil price uncertainty continues to dampen Alberta's economic outlook, many small towns are feeling the pinch — including Crossfield, about 50 kilometres north of Calgary.

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To keep her store Blossoms and Things on Crossfield's main drag competitive, owner Brenda Dobson sells flowers in addition to offering courier, catalogue and catering services.

But what she can't offer is a quick fix to the plunging price of oil.

"I think that the oilfield courier for Greyhound that I have here in my store has definitely gone down probably 30 per cent in the last six months," said Dobson.

Down the street at Carmen's Bigway Foods, owner Carmen Cornelius has seen a similar business trend at the largest grocery store in the town.

"We're certainly noticing that it's a little quieter than usual," he said.

"As of the last six months we've noticed a lot of our industrial population have been laid off, whether it be temporary or permanent."

It's estimated that more than 200 people in the town of about 3,000 have faced oil industry-related job cuts this year.

Many of them were working on the rigs, commuting to Calgary office towers, or were employed in local welding and steel fabricating shops that service the energy industry.

A handful of oilfield service companies operate out of Crossfield. 

At this time of year, they would usually be sending crews and equipment out to oilfields across Alberta.

Idle equipment

But these days, a lot of staff aren't getting work and much of the equipment is sitting idle on company lots in the town's industrial district.

Cory Finley, president and CEO of Demon Oilfield Services that has operated across Western Canada for 10 years, says low oil prices have forced the company to cut back on field operations and to trim administrative costs.

"We're definitely feeling it. It's been a tougher year, you know, the jobs are harder to come by," he said.

"I would say we're running about 60 per cent of what we would be typically at this time of year for staffing."

Finley says many of those crews are now working in Saskatchewan. 

The office received more than 500 resumes this week after the company posted a handful of field jobs, he says.

Community will cope

Crossfield Mayor Nathan Anderson says he has noticed more "For Sale" signs in front of homes around town, but a couple of new housing projects will likely offset any migration out of the community.

"There are some folks in town who have been directly impacted already in terms of job loss or other economic struggle," he said. "But I would say by and large most people are continuing on business as usual."

Dobson says the community and its local businesses will continue to cope with the downturn in the oilpatch, just like they did during the last rough stretch in 2009.

"We've seen this before. We've been there, done this, and I think that you just ride the tide, and it will come back to us," she said.

Still, many are wondering when this latest downturn will start to show signs of a significant recovery, especially since many experts say the slump in oil prices will carry on well into next year.