Local unemployment down but still up year over year

By Medicine Hat News on July 12, 2025.

@MedicineHatNews

The jobless rate in southern Alberta fell in June from the previous month but is still up almost one point compared to the same time last year.

The Medicine Hat-Lethbridge unemployment rate sat a 6.1 per cent last month, according to new figures from Statistics Canada released on Friday.

That was down from 7.2 per cent in May, but up from 5.3 per cent in June 2024.

The difference year over year equates to about 1,000 fewer positions across the region.

Across the province, the unemployment rate fell by one-tenth of a point to 7.1 per cent as a near full-point drop in Calgary (to 7.3 per cent) was offset by mild increases in Edmonton (7.6 per cent).

Red Deer, down 2.5 points, fell to a provincial low of 5 per cent in the new figures.

Saskatchewan posted the lowest rate among provinces at 4.5 per cent, including a very low rate of 2.6 in Swift Current-Moose Jaw region.

Alberta, Ontario (7.8 per cent), Prince Edward Island (7.1 per cent) and Newfoundland and Labrador (9.6 per cent) were above the national figure of 6.8 per cent.

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