The recent oil slump is hitting Lloydminster hard.

More than 31,000 people call the city home, and according to residents, nearly all are feeling the effects of the economic downturn.

Jobs have been lost, businesses have shut down and employment insurance is running out. Some people lost their job more than a year ago and still haven’t found work. Middle class families are utilizing soup kitchens for meals, men are shoveling driveways for extra cash and families are wondering and waiting when the economy will rebound.

The city, which sits along the Saskatchewan-Alberta border, is on edge.

 

---

 

 

“A city on the edge” is a three-part series exploring how the recent oil slump is affecting residents of Lloydminster. Click here for part two, which looks at the bigger picture of the problems plaguing the city as a whole. And click here for part three to see how the community is banding together to help one another out. 

 

 

---

 

 

 PART ONE: ENGEBRETSEN FAMILY HANGING BY A THREAD

Darren and Jolien Engebretsen’s mechanic shop hasn’t had a job since late October.

The husband and wife own TRK Mechanical. The pair thought they’d be okay when oil took a turn, but, gradually, business slowed, then work became rare, then there was no work at all.

“It was like a tap. It just shut off, and we’re like, ‘What’s happening? How did this happen?’” Jolien says.

Searching for work

Darren is one of the lucky ones in the city. Employment is rare in the area and he’s been able to find work out of town.

His family is grateful for the employment, but still struggle with Darren being so far from home. The job, which is six hours away and sometimes keeps Darren out of town for nearly a month at a time, is especially tough on the kids.

“I dream about him at night time,” says four-year-old Rayah.

Darren and Jolien no longer have extra money for family activities, and a lot of their time is spent figuring out their next financial steps.

The two are desperately trying to keep their business in hopes the economy picks up. They’re also aiming to avoid bankruptcy.

“Nothing is working. You’re going further into debt when you didn’t have any credit card debt. I don’t feel like I’m in control of our lives anymore. It’s not in my hands,” Jolien says.

The couple even tried to sell their service truck to make ends meet, according to Darren.

“It won’t be much longer until they come and take it,” he says. “I have to make a certain amount to at least finish paying it off, and that’s a little higher than what we’re going for.”

Rising stress

University of Saskatchewan professor Greg Poelzer describes the downturn as an “economic tsunami.” He says the slump is a shock to the system and the devastating impacts are affecting thousands.

“It puts a lot of stress on families,” Poelzer says. “Then you see other pathologies: You have increases as an outcome of stresses, domestic violence in terms of alcohol, drugs and so forth.”

Darren and Jolien say they now argue more, but note the tough times are making them stronger. They must work together, they say.

They don’t want to leave Lloydminster, like many others have already done.