Mass layoffs in Alberta nearly double past two years combined

The number of mass layoffs in Albertaso far this year has nearly doubled compared to the totals for2013 and 2014 combined, according to provincial data.

By law, employers in Alberta are required to give the provincialgovernment written notice beforeterminating50 or more employees ata single location withina four-week period.

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There have been 114 group layoff notices so far in 2015,impacting a total of 18,006 workers, according to the latest available data.

That compares to 62 notices in all of 2013 and 2014, affecting 11,694 employees.

The province attributes the major swing in massterminations to the downturn in naturalresource prices.

Oil and gas companies and "other manufacturing and servicecompanies related to the sector" account for 78 per cent of the reported layoffsin 2015, according to AlbertaJobs spokeswomanShirley Lin.