By Britton Gray/CJME News Staff

Unemployment up in Sask. as national rate drops

Jul 7, 2017 | 3:05 PM

According to recent Statistics Canada numbers, more people were unemployed in June than in May.

The unemployment rate in Saskatchewan increased to 6.5 per cent in June. The previous month, it was sitting at 6.3 per cent.

Compared to June 2016, the unemployment rate is .3 per cent higher this year. Saskatchewan has the fourth lowest unemployment rate in the country.

“The Sask. Party’s arrogance does not reflect the reality for Saskatchewan families. The hard-working people of the province did not create this mess but, while the Sask. Party spin the numbers and pat themselves on the back, it’s Saskatchewan people who are paying the price,” said NDP jobs critic Trent Wotherspoon in a news release.

Saskatchewan is the only province outside of Atlantic Canada to have its unemployment rate increase from May to June.
According to the NDP, more than 5,000 fewer people were able to find jobs in agriculture and 1,100 jobs have been lost in education over the last year

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SASK. PARTY BELIEVES ECONOMY IS BOUNCING BACK

Minister of Finance Kevin Doherty said the early signs of 2017 have indicated the economy is beginning to bounce back in the province.

Doherty said there was an increase of about 3,600 full-time jobs in the province but a decrease of 2,900 part-time jobs in Saskatchewan from May to June.

“We’re encouraged to see that there’s some movement with respect to the increase in full-time jobs month over month from the month of May to the month of June,” Doherty said.

He said the job numbers he received from the Ministry of Economy show the unemployment rate going from 6.3 per cent in May to 5.8 per cent in June. Doherty said these numbers represent an influx of seasonal workers, such as university students looking for full and part-time work.

He said the province has information there is recovery happening in the oil and gas sector and an increase in car sales, building permits and new construction.

“We’re encouraged by what we see on the horizon for economic recovery here in Saskatchewan.”

NATIONAL RATE DROPS

The national unemployment rate is at 6.5 per cent, which is a drop from 6.6 per cent in May.

Over 350,000 more people were employed in Canada, with most of the growth being in full-time work, compared to June 2016.

The number of people aged 55 and over working increased by 31,000.

British Columbia and Quebec had the highest increase over a year-over-year basis.

Employment in Alberta remained steady.

Email BGray@rawlco.com

Twitter @BrittonGray