By Troy Gillard

Highest rate in Alberta

Red Deer unemployment surpasses 10% for March

Apr 9, 2020 | 10:39 AM

Canadian unemployment numbers have been released for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The unemployment rate for the Red Deer region rose to 10.2 per cent in March, up from 8.6 in February, according to Statistics Canada.

It’s by far the highest rate of any region in the province. Calgary is next at 8.7 per cent followed by Edmonton at 8.2. Lethbridge-Medicine Hat had the lowest jobless rate in Alberta in March at 5.2 per cent.

Alberta saw its unemployment spike to 8.7 per cent in March, up from 7.2 per cent in February.

The numbers provide a picture of employment for the third week in March just as companies began closing shop and laying off staff to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

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Premier Jason Kenney said earlier this week that Alberta’s jobless rate could reach as high as 25% due to the pandemic.

Kenny and members of cabinet are holding a news conference at 11:30 a.m. Thursday to announce a plan to “accelerate infrastructure and keep Albertans working during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Nationally, Statistics Canada reports more than 1,000,000 people lost their jobs last month — a 40 per cent jump from February.

That pushed the unemployment rate up to 7.8 per cent.

Economists warn April will be even worse.

Unemployment in the 15-to-24 age bracket skyrocketed by 63 per cent to 16.8 per cent.

RELATED: StatCan set to release March jobs numbers, and window on COVID-19 crisis

(With file from The Canadian Press)