Alberta jobs trend upwards for third straight month; regional unemployment stays higher than provincial average

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on December 6, 2025.

newsdesk@medicinehatnews.com

According to Stats Canada’s latest employment numbers, Alberta is faring the best among Canadian provinces in terms of job growth.

Unemployment in the province dropped to its lowest rate since March 2024 at 6.5 per cent, a significant improvement from October’s rate of 7.8 per cent. Employment in Alberta grew by 28,700 jobs in the month of November.

Regional unemployment in November 2025 was one per cent higher than in the same month in 2024, at 7.4 per cent.

Although the unemployment rate remains highest in the region of Lethbridge-Medicine Hat, the rate is comparable to other major population centres in the province for the month of November. Edmonton saw an unemployment rate of 7.1 per cent, while Calgary sat at 7.0 per cent and Red Deer at 7.3 per cent.

Still, Medicine Hat’s job market has improved year-over-year, with 3.9 per cent more jobs available than this time last year.

Numbers in the province continued on an upward trend for the third-straight month in November. The number of jobs continued to grow faster in Alberta than in any other province, with employment growing by more than four per cent since November 2024.

The services sector led job growth, with 28,100 new jobs, mainly in the health care and social assistance sector and the accommodation and food services sector.

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