Southern Alberta job market improves some as 2025 comes to close

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on January 10, 2026.

The year ended on a positive note for labour trends in southern Alberta, according to the last Statistics Canada labour market update of 2025.

The unemployment rate in the Lethbridge-Medicine Hat area, which covers most of the province south of Calgary, experienced a month-over-month improvement of 1.1 per cent.

Employment in the region was also 3.3 per cent higher than December 2024.

The December unemployment rate of 6.3 per cent in the region was better than the Alberta average of 6.8 per cent, which matches the national average.

The overall trend in 2025 saw the Lethbridge-Medicine Hat region make progress toward regaining the recent high in employment registered in summer 2024.

The area also registered a 2.3 per cent population increase over the course of 2025.

Employment rose in five out of 16 industries compared to November, with health care and social assistance jobs leading employment growth by a large margin, adding 13,000 jobs in December.

While the southern region posted moderate gains in December, the rest of the province experienced a slower December. Employment fell by 13,700 in December after three months of consecutive growth.

The average weekly wage remained stable in December at $1,353.54.

Sales and service jobs led 2025 in terms of year-over-year growth, with 75,000 roles added across the year.

Trades, transport and equipment operators fared the worst across 2025, losing 38,100 positions.