Employment in the Moose Jaw/Swift Current labour region showed a loss of 1, 200 employees in one month from November last year to December.
Employers had 63,100 workers on payrolls in the region, compared with 64,300 to one year previous, said the monthly labour force survey by Statistics Canada.
The region had 3,700 unemployed persons at the end of December with 2,200 a year ago and 3,500 at November 30. Some 200 jobs were lost just in the last month.
Approximately 2,000 fewer people were in the region labour force than a year ago, indicating they had quit looking for work, retired or moved away.
The region unemployment rate of 6.9 per cent, is second highest among the province’s five regions, compared with 3.9 per cent one year ago.
Highest unemployment rate in the regions was Saskatoon/Biggar at seven per cent, two points more than a year ago.
A 6.3 per cent unemployment rate in Prince Albert Northern was third highest.
Tied for fourth at 5.5 per cent were Regina/Moose Mountain and Yorkton/Melville.
The Saskatchewan unemployment rate of 6.5 per cent, third lowest in Canada, compared with 5.1 percent one year ago.
The cross-Canada unemployment rate was eight per cent versus 5.1 a year ago.
During the last year, the provincial labour force declined by 15,000 people from those who quit looking, retired or moved out of province.
Ron Walter can be reached at [email protected]
