All of Saskatchewan’s five regions except the Swift Current-Moose Jaw labour region are employing more people than one year ago.
Employment numbers in this region of 59,600 are still 2,300 less than one year ago when the pandemic lockdown was still in effect.
The Swift Current-Moose Jaw region unemployment rate of 7.5 per cent is the highest of the five regions, according to the February survey of labour by Statistics Canada.
The unemployment rate is up from 6.5 per cent one year ago.
Four thousand people are looking for work in the region compared with 3,600 a year before.
This region’s labour force has declined four per cent to 49,300 in the last year.
The 4.7 per cent unemployment rate for Regina-Moose Mountain is lowest in the province followed by 4.7 per cent in Saskatoon-Biggar, 5.6 per cent in Prince Albert Northern and 6.4 per cent in Yorkton-Melville.
Across Saskatchewan there were 585,200 people employed, an increase of 18,600 from last year.
The 4.5 per cent unemployment rate in Saskatchewan was the lowest in Canada.
Largest employment increase year over year in the province were education, 5,700 jobs; information and cultural services; 5,400; construction, 5,200; and health care, 4,900.
The agriculture sector lost 4,600 jobs with 3,400 fewer in natural resources and 1,300 fewer jobs in public administration.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
