Saskatchewan’s unemployment rate continues to drop

Saskatchewan’s unemployment rate fell to under five per cent in May, when more than 578,000 people were working in the province.

According to data from Statistics Canada, the unemployment rate in the province dropped from 5.5 per cent in April to 4.8 per cent in May. The rate was 6.1 per cent in May of 2021.

Saskatchewan’s unemployment rate was the fourth-lowest in the country, behind those recorded in Quebec (4.2 per cent), B.C. (4.5) and Manitoba (4.7). The national unemployment rate was 5.1 per cent, a record low.

Saskatchewan’s seasonally adjusted employment of 578,100 in May exceeded the province’s pre-COVID February 2020 employment level of 574,100.

In a media release, the Saskatchewan government said the province has added 19,800 jobs year over year.

“Saskatchewan’s economy is on the right track with significant job gains and a low unemployment rate,” Immigration and Career Training Minister Jeremy Harrison said in the release.

“Our government will continue to provide a competitive environment to accelerate our economic growth in communities across the province.”

According to the province, large year-over-year gains were reported in the fields of accommodation and food services (up 6,400 jobs), construction (5,400 jobs), health care and social assistance (4,700 jobs), and the private sector (8,100 jobs).