Jobs numbers up and down in Sask.

Depending on who you’re talking to, the job numbers released for Saskatchewan on Friday could be good or bad.

The Sask. NDP is pointing to the unemployment rate. Saskatchewan was lumped in with the half of provinces which saw unemployment rates go up – Saskatchewan’s jobless rate rose from 5.1 per cent to 5.4 per cent in August, according to numbers released by Statistics Canada.

That’s while the Sask. Party government is pushing eyes toward the number of jobs created last month. The government said about 4,600 jobs were created in August, compared to August of 2022, and 2,800 were created compared to July when the province lost 5,700.

“With each month of growth, Saskatchewan gets closer to achieving its Growth Plan goal of adding 100,000 jobs by 2030,” Jeremy Harrison, Saskatchewan’s immigration and career training minister, said in a news release.

“Investment in Saskatchewan is driving our economic growth, but our strong labour force is critical to Saskatchewan’s continued advancement on our goal of making Saskatchewan the best place to live, work and raise a family.”

The provincial government’s news release did note the unemployment rate, and said it was the third lowest among the provinces.
The government also pointed to the fact that in August the province saw historical highs in Saskatchewan’s labour force, which reached 632,800, while full-time employment reached 504,000.

Carla Beck, leader of the Sask. NDP, said the rising unemployment rate just highlighted the provincial government’s failure to deliver for the people of Saskatchewan.

“I believe in the potential of this province, and I believe and I know we have all of the pieces to make it happen,” said Beck.

The Sask. NDP’s leader Carla Beck (R) and Jobs Critic Aleana Young say the higher unemployment numbers released Friday show the Sask. Party government isn’t doing enough for the people of the province. Sept. 8, 2023 (Lisa Schick/980 CJME)

The opposition leader said this is the third month in a row of rising unemployment rates in Saskatchewan, and said it’s just one of a series of indicators – like the lower life expectancy in Saskatchewan – that are getting worse.

“I don’t see a premier that seems really serious about acknowledging a problem, let alone getting to work turning some of those really troubling trends that are impacting people around in this province. I think we deserve better than that,” she explained.

Aleana Young, the Sask. NDP’s jobs and economy critic, pointed to the recent first-quarter fiscal numbers, which showed the province’s projected surplus cut in half from budget time.

Young also called attention to building permit numbers in July, which she said showed the value of permits has plummeted in Saskatchewan.

“The drop in these building permits is a clear, troubling economic indicator – an early indicator of a slumping economy,” said Young.

“And once again, Scott Moe’s spin turns out to just be empty words, and the people of Saskatchewan deserve better.”

As for what the provincial government could be doing better, Young said higher taxes, fees and utility bills are hurting businesses, and she suggested cutting the PST on construction labour as a measure that could alleviate the added pressure.