Jobless rate steady but trending low

By Collin Gallant on July 7, 2018.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com @CollinGallant

Medicine Hat’s jobless rate appears to be remaining at a relatively stable — and relatively low — level, new employment figures suggest.

The unemployment rate in southern Alberta rose slightly in June but more workers in the Medicine Hat-Lethbridge region were working compared to the previous month, a result of more students and others entering the workforce.

Figures released Friday by Statistics Canada state unemployment in the region sat at 4.9 per cent last month. That’s up from 4.8 per cent one year earlier but lower than the May figure of 5.2 per cent.

The new number is also down steeply from the average regional rate of 6.9 per cent experienced in 2016.

Anecdotally, Nora Ruiz said she’s seen a gradual increase in the number of construction workers and ranchers coming into her store to buy boots, gloves and coveralls.

“Two years ago it was scary,” said Ruiz, who manages Top Line Workwear on Dunmore Road. “Last year was a little better, and this year, I can’t complain.”

Analysts prefer year-over-year comparisons because they better account for seasonal growth in the workforce, for example, by students seeking work, or the seasonal nature of some work, like agriculture and oil drilling.

The same situation of a higher rate but more jobs occurred across the province, where 2,000 more Albertans collected a paycheque in June, compared to May.

However, an increase in the workforce caused a single month increase in unemployment rate to 6.5 per cent. That’s up three-10ths of a point from May, but is a full point lower than June 2017.

Unemployment in major centres continued to drop in seasonally adjusted figures, while month-to-month figures were steady.

Edmonton (currently 6.6 per cent) and Calgary (7.7 per cent), both topped 8 per cent this time last year.

In rural regions, Camrose-Drumheller showed the lowest unemployment at 4.4 per cent rate, followed by Lethbridge-Medicine Hat, Red Deer (5.4), Wood Buffalo (6.5) and Banff-Grande Prairie (6.7).

Saskatchewan releases only totals of employed people from its regions, not those seeking work.

The figures for the Swift Current-Moose Jaw region of the southwest show 50,200 people were employed last month. That’s 500 more than in May, but 1,200 fewer than June 2017.

The unemployment rate for that entire province stood at 6.3 per cent. British Columbia had the lowest rate of any province at 5.2 per cent. The national rate was 6.0 per cent.

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