Sask. job numbers increased by 9,000 over the past year

Saskatchewan’s workforce grew by 9,000 people year over year from February 2018, the provincial government revealed Friday.

In a media release, the province announced that full-time jobs increased by 5,800 over the previous 12 months and part-time jobs went up by 3,200.

The government reported that female employment, full-time employment and overall employment in the province hit record highs for the month of February.

Some of the biggest year-over-year gains were in health care and social assistance (an increase of 4,200 jobs), finance, insurance, real estate and leasing (up 3,600) and agriculture (an increase of 3,600).

The government said Regina’s employment level increased by 1,300 jobs (a 0.9-per-cent increase) from February 2018. Saskatoon, meanwhile, saw an increase of 6,500 jobs (a 3.9-per-cent increase) over the past 12 months.

The NDP, however, pointed out that the unemployment rate in Saskatchewan increased from 5.5 per cent in January to 5.8 per cent in February. The NDP noted that the construction industry in the province lost 1,900 jobs month over month, a result the opposition pinned on the government’s funding decisions.

Meanwhile, in Gatineau, Que., the federal government announced it had signed agreements with Saskatchewan that will result in an investment of $500 million over six years in the province’s workforce.

The goal is to help 16,000 workers in the province over the terms of the deals.

The Workforce Development Agreement will help the province offer training programs to potential workers.

The agreement comprises: The Canada-Saskatchewan Job Grant, which will allow employees to get training jointly funded by employers and government; the Workforce Development for People with Disabilities Program, which aims to help people with disabilities get and keep jobs; and, the Adult Basic Education program, which hopes to help adults improve their literacy and essential skills.

The Labour Market Development Agreement aims to help the province increase apprenticeship training and offer career guidance and other assistance. The agreement also will create the Canada-Saskatchewan Rapid Response Teams, which will support businesses and workers affected by production slowdowns or layoffs.