Southern Alberta jobless rate falls but stays above national rate
By Medicine Hat News on April 6, 2018.
The jobless rate in rural southern Alberta fell in March compared to both last month and the same time last year. However, new figures from Statistics Canada state Medicine Hat-Lethbridge region has the highest unemployment rate outside of the province’s major cities at 6.5 per cent. That current local rate compared to 6.9 per cent in both February 2018 and March 2017. Only Calgary (8 per cent) and Edmonton (6.8 per cent) are higher, though falling rates in those cities drove the provincial average lower for the month. The Alberta unemployment rate settled at 6.3 per cent, down two percentage points from one year ago. That was led by new job growth in goods producing sectors, such as agriculture, oil and gas, and manufacturing. Construction positions were steady and service sector employment dropped slightly from February, but are better than last year. The national unemployment rate sat at 5.8 per cent in March. Saskatchewan sat at the national average, while B.C. (4.7 per cent), Ontario and Quebec were lower. Manitoba (6.2 per cent) and the Atlantic province’s were higher. Canada added 32,300 net new jobs last month, all full-time. Within Alberta, Camrose-Drumheller, at 3.9 per cent, was the lowest in the province after sitting at nearly 10 per cent during the spring breakup season in 2017. Wood Buffalo- Cold Lake also showed a multi-point drop and sits at 5.7 per cent. Red Deer’s rate was nearly halved year over year and now sits at 4.9 per cent. 9-8
