Slow and steady: Alberta’s unemployment rate continues to fall
It's not the huge change many were hoping for but there is some positive news on Alberta's job front.
New numbers released Friday show the province is closer than it has ever been to pre-pandemic employment levels.
Statistics Canada's latest Labour Force Survey reported a 0.3 per cent drop in Alberta’s unemployment rate. The monthly look at the job market says the provincial number dipped from nine per cent in April to 8.7 per cent in May.
"It certainly is a stronger and robust number than we're seeing in some other provinces," University of Calgary economist Lindsay Tedds told CTV News.
"But there is still a gap ... and we have to remember pre-pandemic levels were not ideal."
In April, Alberta had an estimated 218,800 unemployed people.
In May, the number dropped to 211,700.
Statistics Canada says over the last 12 months, the province has seen a 6.8 per cent change.
Alberta's recent job growth has been driven by a number of rebounding industries. Natural resources, construction, health care, finance and insurance made up some of the biggest increases.
About Staffing founder Sharlene Massie says her clients looking for work have options — something they didn't have for large parts of 2020.
"There are a lot (of requests) coming in," Massie said. "We are getting busier and busier and every day we are getting more orders than the day before. That makes me feel very positive and excited about what the next six months are going to bring."
But those six months will also carry some challenges.
WOMEN FACING AN UPHILL CLIMB
While the province's women and men both saw drastic declines in employment last year, women are having a tougher time re-entering the work force in 2021.
Part of that may be due to an unpredictable school schedule.
"Parents of young children, their hours of work have not recovered," Tedds said. "We are leaving economic growth on the table, and we are doing it on the backs of women."
In Alberta, the labour force participation of parents with young children is the lowest in Canada.
Tedds believes more business stability and government support is needed in the months ahead to even out the numbers.
Something else that'll help is the upcoming slow down slow down.
Many are expecting a big summer for the hospitality and tourism industries as the province continues to open up businesses.
REGIONAL NUMBERS
In the Calgary region, unemployment has fallen 0.6 per cent, with the addition of 1,100 jobs.
In December 2020, the city’s unemployment rate was 11.1 per cent, but that's a number that has been steadily declining every month.
Areas that saw the highest growth in Calgary include wholesale and retail trade and manufacturing.
On a national level, employment fell 0.4 per cent.
The majority of those losses were registered in Ontario and Nova Scotia. Both of those provinces have been experiencing firm shutdowns due COVID-19 cases in the last month.
The percentage of unemployed Canadians remains below the peak seen in the first wave in May 2020, where national unemployment was at 13.7 per cent.
Last summer, employment in Canada rebounded quickly following the end of the first phase of restrictions.
1.2 million jobs were added in May and June, and another million in September.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.