By Liam Verster

Employment Statistics

Peace Region unemployment drops to 14.4 per cent, Alberta to 12.8 in July

Aug 7, 2020 | 9:24 AM

Alberta’s employment rate is on the rise, and though unemployment is on the decline, the Province’s rate is still one of the highest rates in Canada.

New figures from Statistics Canada shows that across Alberta, unemployment decreased from 15.5 per cent in June, 2020, to 12.8 percent in July. However, that rate is still significantly higher than the Province’s seven per cent recorded in July, 2019.

During that same period of time, the employment rate rose from 58.4 to 60.3 percent.

July’s figures show that Alberta has a higher employment rate than the national average, which was recorded at 57.3 per cent, and is second only to Saskatchewan, where the employment rate was 61.7 per cent.

However, the unemployment rate in Alberta is also the second highest in Canada at 12.8 per cent. It’s above the national average of 10.9 per cent, and second only to Newfoundland and Labrador, where the rate was recorded at 15.6 per cent.

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Chart courtesy of Statistics Canada

Meanwhile, unadjusted three-month moving averages show unemployment declining in some of Alberta’s regions.

The Banff-Jasper-Rocky Mountain House and Athabasca-Grande Prairie-Peace River region saw the unemployment rate decrease 2.1 per cent, from 16.5 in June to 14.4 in July. That rate continues to be much higher than the 5.2 per cent recorded for the region in July 2019.

Edmonton’s unemployment rate dipped slightly from 15.8 to 15.5 percent, as did Calgary, where the rate went from 15 to 14.9 percent. The Lethbridge-Medicine Hat area saw the rate go from 9.8 to 9.5 percent, the second biggest drop after the area that includes Grande Prairie.

While those regions saw unemployment decline, many others saw the opposite. Red Deer’s unemployment rate rose from 13.4 to 14 per cent, Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake saw an increase from 11.6 to 12 per cent, and Camrose-Drumheller’s rate increased from 12.8 to 13.1 per cent.

Photo courtesy of Statistics Canada

The figures from Statistics Canada show that most Alberta industries saw increases in their employment figures, with the biggest gains coming in Accommodation and Food Services; Construction; Professional, Scientific and Technical Services; Health Care and Social Assistance; Trade; Forestry, Fishing Mining Oil and Gas; and Manufacturing.

However, some industries did see declines, including Business, Building and Other Support Services; Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Leasing; and Public Administration.

In all, Alberta’s seasonally adjusted labour force increased from 2,471,300 in June to 2,472,200 July, while the employment numbers went up from 2,088,800 to 2,156,100 in the same time period.