The jobs outlook across Canada wasn't positive this month, but Saskatchewan is trending in a slightly better direction. (File photos/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

Provincial exception

Battlefords chamber looks at jobs in Canada, Saskatchewan

Feb 16, 2022 | 11:14 AM

Jobs are trending downward in multiple Canadian provinces, but Saskatchewan appears to be holding up a little better.

Earlier this month, Statistics Canadian showed the country shed more than 200,000 jobs to start the year, a lot more than what was expected by analysts. The jobless rate has increased to 6.5 per cent from a revised six per cent in December.

Following these statistics being posted, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce voiced concern about what this could mean in the near future. In a statement, senior director of Workforce Strategies and Inclusive Growth, Leah Nord, said these figures follow the same pattern as the previous four waves of COVID-19 restrictions.

“We know how the story will play out,” she said. “The real story is not how the pandemic got us into this position but instead that we are in exactly the same position as before the pandemic started – a structural deficit in our labour market with no singular or easy fix on tap.”

The national chamber network called for the government to enact effective policies to make it easy to re-integrate the long-term unemployed, as well as attract and retain immigrants and ensuring the full potential of Canadians unrepresented and underrepresented in the labour market.

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However, Saskatchewan has a more positive prognosis, with an increase of 24,600 jobs since Jan. 2021, a growth of 4.6 per cent. More than 21,000 were full-time jobs and 3,900 occurred last month.

Battlefords Chamber of Commerce chief operating officer Linda Machniak said the issue the Canadian Chamber is focused on is a structural deficit. In regards to the jobs numbers, she said much of it is based on COVID-19 restrictions, as provinces like Ontario and Quebec enacted stricter measures when they experienced a different level of a fifth wave.

“So, there were still people that would’ve been either laid off or had to work from home or away, where Saskatchewan did not lock down many of our industries and kept the economy going during that time,” she said.

“By the time we got the fourth wave, it was later than Ontario or Quebec, so some of it was timing. We also don’t have the population they do.”

Machniak did point to Saskatchewan leading in many respects, including manufacturing sales and wholesale trade, as the unemployment rate fell to 5.5 per cent, down from 7.2 per cent a year ago. Other highlights included strong youth employment, record off-reserve aboriginal employment (almost 57,000 jobs) and an increase of 9,400 jobs in female employment, a gain of 3.7 per cent

“Women in many cases have carried the largest portion of the burden from the pandemic restrictions, having to be home with youngsters and things like that,” Machniak said. “To see the female job numbers gaining traction is a positive.”

While year-over-year gains are there, Machniak said the government’s policy decisions are key to helping economic recovery speed or slow. Since supply chains remain tight, she said that means there could be larger gains in the future, when wholesale products make their way to the market.

“As those things start to filter in, then those sales happen at the retail level, which also increases the jobs and need for people there.”

The province’s release on jobs in Saskatchewan can be found here.

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com

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