The jobless rate in the Medicine Hat-Lethbridge region has lowered slightly year over year, while much of the rest of the province is trending in the opposite direction. Workers put new siding on a local home in this February 2022 file photo.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
@MedicineHatNews
The unemployment rate in southern Alberta fell slightly in December while the provincial jobless rate rose by a full point due to an expanding labour force.
The measure in the Medicine Hat-Lethbridge economic region sat at 5.4 per cent last month, one-tenth of a percentage point lower than in late 2023.
That comes even as the Medicine Hat-Lethbridge region added 1,400 new jobs compared to the previous month, but in the year-over year analysis lost 8,000 positions, about half of them full time, compared to late 2023.
The phenomenon is caused by changes in the labour force and seasonal work, and has also affected the provincial figures.
The Alberta unemployment rate rose to 6.6 per cent.
About 98,000 more people in the province collected paycheques last month compared to December 2023, but the labour force is considered to have grown by 122,000.
The unemployment rate in both Calgary (now 7.2 per cent) and the Camrose-Drumheller region (5.1 per cent) rose by two full points. Edmonton was up one-half point to 6.8 per cent. Wood Buffalo (Ft. McMurray) also saw a large increase to 5.9 per cent.
The rate was highest in Red Deer at 7.6 per cent, which is down slightly year over year.
Northeast Alberta, including Grande Prairie, Rocky Mountain House and Banff, was the lowest at 3.7 per cent.
Saskatchewan posted the lowest rate (5.1 per cent) among the provinces, while the national rate rose nearly one point to 6.2 per cent.
The current rate in the Swift Current-Moose Jaw region is 5.2 per cent, up from 4.7 per cent this time last year.
The rate in the Kootenay region of British Columbia dropped to 3 per cent.
