Local jobless rate up year-over-year while labour force continues to grow
By Medicine Hat News on July 6, 2019.
The jobless rate in southern and southeastern Alberta rose in June and across the province job gains were again muted by increases to the labour force, figures released Friday show. In Medicine Hat-Lethbridge region, the unemployment rate sat at 6.2 per cent during the month – up 1.3 percentage points from one year earlier, though down slightly from May. Across the province, the actual number of both employed and unemployed workers rose as the labour force grew. The unemployment rate essentially held steady at 6.6 per cent, down one-10th of a point from May, but up one-10th from June 2018. That’s despite gains of about 11,600 jobs compared to May and 30,000 year-over year. Over the same 12 months, the labour force rose by 33,000 to 2.52 million workers. Calgary’s rate continued to fall and now sits at 7 per cent, equal with Edmonton’s seasonally adjusted three-month moving average. Gains were also felt in Camrose-Drumheller, where the rate fell from 8.9 to 7.2 per cent month-over-month, and Wood Buffalo (now at 5.8 per cent) and northwestern Alberta (5.7). Alberta’s overall rate remained the highest in Canada west of the Atlantic provinces. British Columbia (4.5 per cent) and Quebec (4.9) led the country and Saskatchewan’s sat at 5.4. The national rate is 5.5 per cent. In Alberta, large sectors reporting lower numbers were oil-gas-mining and construction, while manufacturing, health care, trade and and transportation show year-over year increases. 9-8
