While Saskatchewan has the third lowest unemployment rate in Canada at 5.1 per cent, the Moose Jaw-Swift Current region doesn’t seem to enjoy the same rate of success.
The region, with unemployment at 5.4 per cent, was one of only five Saskatchewan regions to show an increase in unemployment year to year.
Last year in October, the Statistics Canada Labour Survey found the Moose Jaw-Swift Current region unemployment rate was 3.8 per cent.
All of the other regions in the province had reductions in unemployment with Yorkton-Melville the lowest at three per cent.
The Moose Jaw-Swift Current region rate was second highest, exceeded only by Prince Albert northern at 6.1 per cent.
The labour force in Moose Jaw-Swift Current region has increased by 3,000 to 55,800. Along with the increased number of workers the participation rate increased from 65.2 per cent to 69.4 per cent, absorbing 2,000 more workers.
There were 3,000 unemployed workers in the region compared with 2,000 in October 2018.
The only provinces with lower unemployment rates than Saskatchewan are B.C., 4.9 per cent; and Quebec, 4.6 per cent.
Ron Walter can be reached at [email protected]
