The Swift Current Moose Jaw labour region has 900 more unemployed persons than one year ago, according to the Statistics Canada September labour force report.
The region had 4,500 unemployed people in September compared with 3,600 a year before.
The number of employed has declined to 51,200 while the number of persons in the labour force has shrunk by 1,500 reflecting people who retired, quit looking for work or moved away.
The unemployment rate in the region of 8.1 per cent compared with 6.3 per cent in 2020.
This region's unemployment rate was fourth lowest of five regions in the province.
Lowest unemployment rate was Yorkton-Melville at 4.2 per cent, continuing a long-term trend.
Second lowest was Prince Albert Northern at 5.1 per cent
Fourth and fifth were Saskatoon-Biggar and Regina Moose Mountain at 6.3 per cent and 6.5 per cent respectively.
The Saskatchewan unemployment rate of 6.7 per cent was fourth lowest in Canada
Lowest rate in Canada was Quebec at 5.7 per cent with Manitoba’s 6.4 per cent, second; and B.C.’s 6.5 per cent, third.
Highest unemployment rate was Newfoundland and Labrador, 11.4 per cent; followed by P.E.I. and New Brunswick at 8.5 per cent each; Alberta at 8.4 per cent; and Nova Scotia at 7.8 per cent.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
