The Region’s young, diverse population provides an energetic and productive workforce.

• The Red Deer Region has one of the youngest populations in Canada with a most frequently occurring age of 23. The median age of residents in the City of Red Deer is 35 and Red Deer County is 38.1. 
• 17 per cent of Red Deer’s population is 20 to 29 years old. There is a higher proportion of 20 to 29 years old in the area, due to an influx of young people into the local labour force.
• According to Statistics Canada, in 2006, Alberta had the highest proportion, 18.6 per cent, of youth within its working age population, and the lowest proportion of older workers in Canada. At that same time, 56.6 per cent of Alberta’s working age population was under age 45.
• Alberta’s labour force consists of almost two million well-educated workers. In 2006, 60 per cent of the labour force, 25 years of age or older, reported holding a university degree, post-secondary diploma or certificate.

Productivity

In 2008, Alberta’s economic productivity was higher than any other province. Total value added per hour in Alberta exceeded the Canadian average by 16%.

• Alberta consistently has one of the best labour records of any province in Canada, in terms of fewest workdays lost due to strikes.
• Alberta’s manufacturing sector also had the highest productivity of all provinces, partly because of its highly productive chemical, machinery and food processing industries.
• Red Deer College is one of the driving factors behind the educated workforce. It offers a diverse array of programs: applied degree; degree completion; university transfer; certificate and diploma; academic upgrading; trades & industrial training; distance learning; international opportunities and extension & part-time learning. The College also provides industry specific training to meet specialized skill requirements.

Alberta wage and salary rates are competitive with the rest of Canada and with the United States. When total compensation rates are compared, Alberta provides even more of a cost advantage compared to the U.S., largely because of publicly funded health care. 

Alberta's minimum wage increases to $8.80 per hour on April 1, 2009.

The 2009 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey covers over 400 occupations and provides information on wages and salaries for full-time and part-time employees in Alberta by occupation, geographic area, and industry group.

The Red Deer Region consistently ranks as having the lowest combined property tax and utility overhead costs for businesses in Canada.

• Municipalities in the Region do not have business taxes.
• Alberta has one of the most competitive tax environments in North America.
• In 2009, combined federal and provincial corporate income tax was 29 per cent for general business and 14 per cent for small businesses.
• Alberta has no provincial capital taxes, and no sales tax, a refundable research and development tax credit and has a publicly funded heath care insurance system making Alberta’s tax environment very competitive.
• Alberta has no provincial capital or payroll taxes, which are common in many other provinces and U.S. states

The Red Deer Region combined municipal property tax and utility rate consistently ranks among the lowest of comparable cities across the County. The average municipal tax and utility cost of 21 cities surveyed in Canada is $3,937 while The City of Red Deer's average municipal tax and utility cost ranks eighth lowest at $3,628.

• The overall tax burden on individual Albertans is by far the lowest of any province in Canada.
• Alberta is the only province without a provincial sales tax, and has the lowest gasoline taxes in the country.
• A two-income family of four earning $75,000 pays more than $1,400 less in total provincial taxes, including health care premiums, sales and other excise taxes, in Alberta than in Ontario and almost $1,800 less than in British Columbia.
• On January 1, 2009, Alberta’s health care premiums were eliminated.
  

• Alberta has restructured the electricity and natural gas industries to provide a more efficient, competitive marketplace and a greater choice of providers for consumers.