Southern Alberta jobless rate lowest in the province
By COLLIN GALLANT on January 11, 2020.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant The unemployment rate in deep southern Alberta is the lowest in the province after the jobless rate fell in December compared both to the previous month and in the year-over-year analysis. Lethbridge-Medicine Hat economic region reported a rate of just 4.0 per cent for the month in figures released on Friday. That is down nine-10ths of a point from the November figure, and a half-point lower than 12 months earlier. The provincial rate, 7 per cent, was up from 6.4 per cent in late 2018, as the two major centres moved in opposite directions. Edmonton’s rate rose to 8.0 per cent while Calgary’s fell to 7.1 per cent in the adjusted three-month moving average. Eastern Alberta and Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray) regions also saw substantial declines. Red Deer’s rate was up two points year-over-year, to 6.6 per cent, and Northeast Alberta was up also. Nationally the unemployment rate settled back to 5.6 per cent, equal to one year ago, but down slightly from November. British Columbia’s nation-leading rate sits at 4.8 per cent, Saskatchewan’s stayed even at 5.7 per cent and Quebec and Ontario both registered a 5.3 per cent rate. 9-8
