The Swift Current Moose Jaw labour region had 200 fewer jobless persons than in January 2020 when the first Covid-19 cases were identified in Canada.
The 2,400 persons unemployed in the region two years ago compares with 2,200 in January this year, according to the Statistics Canada monthly labour survey.
But the labour force in the region has decreased from 54,900 to 53,400, representing 1,500 people who have moved, retired or withdrawn from the labour force.
In Saskatchewan the labour force decreased by 17,800 during the two year period while the number of unemployed declined 4,000 to 30,700.
Saskatchewan’s unemployment rate of 5.2 per cent has declined from 5.7 per cent while the Canadian rate has declined from 8.6 per cent to 5.5 per cent.
The Swift Current Moose Jaw region unemployment rate at 7.6 per cent is highest of five regions in the province.
Lowest region unemployment rate is in Regina Moose Mountain at 4.3 per cent; followed by Prince Albert Northern at 5.4 per cent; Saskatoon Biggar at 5.8 per cent; and Yorkton-Melville at six per cent.
Ron Walter can be reached at [email protected]
