Regional jobless rate jumps in April, second highest in province

By Medicine Hat News on May 10, 2025.

@MedicineHatNews

Unemployment in southern Alberta rose to 7.3 per cent in April, the second highest among economic regions in the province, according to Statistics Canada.

Alberta’s provincewide jobless rate also came in at 7.3 per cent according the workforce study, about half a point higher than 12 months ago.

In the Medicine Hat-Lethbridge region, the level is 1.4 points higher than the same month in 2024, and also above the previous month’s mark of 6.7 per cent.

That translates to 5,000 fewer jobs in the region compared to April 2024, though 3,000 more than in March due to changing levels in the size of the workforce.

The provincewide increase was driven by higher unemployment in Edmonton (now at 7.2 per cent), northeast Alberta (6.2) and Camrose-Drumheller (5.9).

Calgary (7.8 per cent), was largely unchanged, along with Red Deer (6.7) and Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake (5.9).

Saskatchewan’s rate of 5.2 per cent was the lowest in the country, dropping due to job gains in the Yorkton-Melville region and Regina. The Swift Current-Moose Jaw region (5.6 per cent) saw no year-over-year change.

British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec each saw increases between eight- or nine-tenths of a point in the April jobs report, and Canada’s rate rose to 6.9 per cent, or 0.7 points higher.

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