The jobless rate has fallen in Medicine Hat according to the latest report for April provided by Statistics Canada.--News Photo Collin Gallant
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The jobless rate in Medicine Hat region fell to 5.1 per cent in April, and unemployment continues to decline across Alberta, according to new figures from Statistics Canada.
The Alberta Labour Force Survey for last month states the provincial rate fell by more than half a percentage point to 5.9 per cent from March, and is down from 8.9 per cent one year earlier.
That was led by job gains in service sector categories of trade, transport and health care, while figures in goods producing sectors slid. About 16,000 new positions were reported, while the size of the labour force remained stable.
The number of workers considered unemployed fell by the about the same number, and now sits at 146,800, down nearly 16,000 for the month, and 70,000 lower than in April 2021.
ATB Financial reported in its analysis that for April, full-time positions rose by 9,800, while part-time jobs fell by 6,100.
The unemployment rate in the Medicine Hat-Lethbridge region was the second lowest in the province, behind Banff and the northwest quadrant (4.7 per cent), but every region saw the rate decline. Red Deer was at 6.7 per cent, while Edmonton and Calgary were at 6.9 and 7.2 per cent, respectively.
The national rate was 5.3 per cent, down one-tenth of a point by month, just above that of Saskatchewan (5.0 per cent) and British Columbia (5.1 Per cent). Quebec posted a low rate among the provinces of 3.9 per cent.
