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Photo Courtesy EGP Staff
By Tanner Smith with files from David Opinko (LNN)
Statistics Canada

Unemployment rose slightly for Grande Prairie economic region

Feb 7, 2025 | 1:44 PM

Statistics Canada reported Alberta’s unemployment rate held steady this month at 6.7 per cent; however, that wasn’t the case for the local economy.

In the Banff-Jasper-Rocky Mountain House and Athabasca-Grande Prairie-Peace River economic region, unemployment rose by 0.7 per cent in the new year, from 3.7 per cent to 4.4.

The employment rate did also fall slightly by 1.3 per cent for the economic region that includes Grande Prairie, as at the end of 2024 it sat at 67.6 per cent, and now rests at 66.3 per cent.

Across the province, there was a major shift away from full-time employment as those positions declined by 21,400. At the same time, the number of part-time jobs rose by 17,100.

The industries with the biggest growth in employment in Alberta were professional, scientific and technical services (+7,900), agriculture (+3,400), and transportation and warehousing (+3,200).

Statistics Canada says Canada as a whole added 76,000 jobs in January, pushing the unemployment rate down by 0.1 per cent to 6.6 per cent.

Some Alberta Citites down south did experience improvements in unemployment rates this past month.

Calgary’s rate fell by 0.4 per cent to 7.7 per cent in January as the city had a net gain of 10,000 jobs.

Unemployment in the provincial capital fell by 0.3 per cent to 7.2 per cent as fewer people actively sought work in Edmonton.

Red Deer saw its unemployment rate improve from 10 per cent in December to 9.7 per cent in January as another 1,300 people got hired.

The full Labour Force Survey can be read on Statistics Canada.

READ MORE: Canada adds 76,000 jobs in January as unemployment rate falls to 6.6%

by Tanner Smith with files from David Opinko (LNN)