Human Resources

Employment – city wide recruitment and filling all job vacancies.

Labour Relations – administration of the City’s collective agreements and provides advice and assistance to City staff on labour relations issues.

Occupational Health and Safety – ensure compliance with WorkSafe BC health and safety guidelines, coordinates the City’s safety program and provides advice and support to other departments and safety committees.

Training and Development – delivers a wide range of training programs including leadership development, new employee orientation, computer training, and employee development.

Approximately half of the departmental budget is for staff salaries and benefits. The other half is for corporate, city-wide special programs and services. These include:

Employee and Family Assistance Program

Staff Development and Training

Recruitment Sourcing Activities

Health and Safety Programs

Specialized Consultant Services

The Department is also involved in:

Employee Relations
Performance Management

Job EvaluationChange Management

Career Planning and Development Succession Planning

Organizational Development Wellness Initiatives

Attendance and Disability ManagementPolicy Development

Approximately half of the departmental budget is for staff salaries and benefits. The other half is for corporate, city-wide special programs and services. These include:

Employee and Family Assistance Program

Staff Development and Training

Recruitment Sourcing Activities

Health and Safety Programs

Specialized Consultant Services

While this budget area is an expenditure unit, a number of activities result in cost recoveries including  sale of seats in training and development programs.

The department’s goal is assist all departments with the most effective and efficient utilization of human resources and to help maximize the potential of all employees.

The majority of City employees are either members of C.U.P.E. (Canadian Union of Public Employees) Local 118 or I.A.F.F. (International Association of Firefighters) Local 1667.  Pursuant to the CUPE Collective Agreement, when a position becomes vacant it is posted internally and is only open to employees. This provision provides the opportunity for our employees to advance within the organization or to move to other departments.  If a qualified candidate cannot be found from the ranks of our employees, the competition is then opened to external applicants.

Causal employees are often required to augment the workforce. When a casual employee is needed the competition is open to external candidates.

Vacancies within the City that are open to the public are posted on our website and advertised in the Alberni Valley News. Only applicants who are legally entitled to work in Canada can be considered for employment.

The City of Port Alberni is committed to ensuring a safe and healthy community and to the prevention of violence against children. Police record checks are conducted on all candidates who are being considered for employment with the City of Port Alberni. Enhanced Security Clearance may be required for designated positions of trust, including but not limited to jobs at the RCMP detachment or positions which involve working with/or in proximity to children, youth or vulnerable adults.

To support your application for employment with the City of Port Alberni we need to collect some personal information from you. This information is collected under the authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA). It will only be released in accordance with FOIPPA or as otherwise required by law. Questions about how the FOIPPA applies to this information may be directed to the City Clerk, 4850 Argyle Street, Port Alberni, B.C. V9Y 1V8 Tel: 250 720-2810.

Do you have any positions available?

Any vacancies that are open to the public are posted on our website and advertised in the Alberni Valley News.

How do I apply for a position with the City of Port Alberni?

Resumes with covering letters are accepted for job vacancies that are advertised on our website and the Alberni Valley News. Applicants for advertised positions are responsible for ensuring that their resume is received by the closing date and that they clearly indicate how they meet each of the stated requirements. Applicants are required to submit a separate resume for each position they wish to be considered for.

Resumes with covering letters can be mailed to:

Manager of Human Resources
City of Port Alberni
4850 Argyle Street Port Alberni, B.C. V9Y 1V8

OR email to: humanresources_resumes@portalberni.ca (MS Word format)

Or fax to: 250-723-1003

Do I need an application form to apply on a posting?

A current resume with covering letter, specifying the position, is to be submitted. For Firefighter postings, a completed application form must be submitted. What else should I submit with my resume? It is helpful if you submit copies of any relevant qualifications, including the following:

Post secondary certificates, diplomas or degrees

Trade Qualification Certificates

Current driver’s abstract

Photocopy of qualifications required for position

Applicants for Lifeguard and Firefighter positions must submit copies of all required certifications listed in the posting, in order to be considered.

Do I need to submit a police records check or employment references?

You do not need to submit a completed police records check form or references with your application, unless we ask you to. The City of Port Alberni is committed to ensuring a safe and healthy community. No offer of employment is made without a police records check and employment references. However, we will ask your permission prior to initiating either of these steps in the recruitment process.

If there aren’t any job postings, do you accept applications or resumes?

No, we only accept resumes for specific job postings.

Do you accept ‘late’ applications for job postings?

We do accept applications after the competition has closed, however, your application will be marked ‘late’ and will not be considered until all other applicants have been reviewed first.

Will you contact me when I apply for a position?

Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. How do I know if I have been short listed? We will contact you. If selected for an interview, when would I be contacted? We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those to be interviewed will be contacted. We endeavour to contact applicants to be interviewed within three (3) weeks of the competition closing date. We appreciate your patience throughout the recruitment process, and ask that you refrain from calling our office.

What will my job interview be like?

We conduct panel interviews, consisting of the department supervisor, the Manager of Human Resources and sometimes other participants. We ask a variety of knowledge, situational and behavioural-based interview questions. Interviews are typically 30 minutes to one hour in length, depending on the complexity of the position.

Do you do any testing of job applicants?

Sometimes we do skill or job-related testing for specific positions at the City. We may also do computer software testing. You would be informed, in advance, of any testing that we might ask you to participate in.

How long until the hiring process is completed?

It can take up to six (6) weeks to fill a job posting, depending on the complexity of the position. We thank you in advance for your patience!

How do I apply to be a firefighter?

Career opportunities with the City of Port Alberni Fire Department are also displayed on our website. A recruiting process is conducted prior to any hiring within the Department.