Unemployment rises in wake of isolation
By COLLIN GALLANT on April 11, 2020.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant Unemployment jumped by almost two per cent across Alberta in March as jobs were shed and the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic response began to hit home, assuring the new figures for the month released late this week. Specific to rural southern Alberta and the Medicine Hat-Lethbridge economic region, the jobless rate moved up one-half of a percentage point to 5.2 per cent, which places it by far at the lowest rate in the province at March 31. According to figures provided separately by Alberta Economic development, the all-time high unemployment rate in Medicine Hat between 1981 and 2016 was 11.5 per cent in 1986. That figure relates to the month to month change, but the provincial and national spike in layoffs is hard to put into an historical context. No province west of the Maritimes recorded less than a one-third increase in jobless claims compared to one year ago, while B.C. and Quebec’s previously nation-leading job markets saw their rates rise by half compared to February. In Alberta, more than 100,000 jobs were lost during the month. The provincial labour force shrunk by almost 85,000 people, the number of employed positions fell by 18,000, and EI claims rose by 30,000 comparing March 2019 to the recent month. Over the entire province the rate increased by 1.8 percentage points compared to last year to sit at 8.7 per cent. Monthly percentage point increases across Alberta’s seven regions range from 0.5 of a point in both Wood-Buffalo (Ft. McMurray) and Medicine Hat-Lethbridge to 1.6 points in Red Deer, where the overall unemployment rate now sits at 10.2 per cent. In the adjusted moving average provided only for major cities, Calgary’s rate jumped to 8.6 per cent and Edmonton’s to 7.9 per cent. For the month, the good-producing sector saw a ramp-up as new construction projects, agricultural work, and oil and gas moved out of slower winter months, but that considers the entire month, and the total effect of more recent isolation measures may not be fully captured in the figure. The service sector saw the steep declines. Ag job service Late Thursday the province announced it had created a dedicated website to connect employers in the ag and food production sector and Alberta workers. A release from the minister of agriculture states that seasonal workers that would typically arrive via the temporary foreign worker program are unavailable due to travel restrictions and a growing number of Albertans are out of regular work. “There are great job opportunities on Alberta farms and ranches,” said Ag minister Deevin Dreeshen. “There is definitely a greater appreciation for Alberta”s agriculture sector, and this new website will help Albertans find an exciting new job in this essential service.” Potential workers and employers can access the system at alberta.ca/AgJobConnector. 19-18
