By Sheldon Spackman

Positive Signs

August unemployment rate lower in Red Deer region

Sep 10, 2021 | 10:55 AM

The Red Deer economic region saw a drop in its unemployment rate last month.

According to the latest Labour Force Survey released by Statistics Canada on Friday, the region had an unemployment rate of 9.8 per cent in August, down from 10.2 per cent in July and 13.2 per cent in August 2020.

That compares with an unemployment rate of 10.0 per cent in the Calgary region last month, 8.8 per cent in Camrose-Drumheller, 8.4 per cent in Edmonton, 7.5 per cent in Banff-Jasper-Rocky Mountain House and Athabasca-Grande Prairie-Peace River, 6.4 per cent in Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake, and 4.9 per cent in Lethbridge-Medicine Hat.

Alberta’s unemployment rate was 8.8 per cent in August, the same as July, but still down significantly from 13.7 per cent in August 2020.

The national jobless rate was 7.7 per cent last month, down from 7.8 per cent in July and 11.4 per cent in August 2020.

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The Red Deer region’s employment rate, however, currently estimates 107,200 people working in the month of August, up from 103,500 in August 2020, but down from 112,100 in August 2019.

That equates to a 3.6 per cent increase in the employment rate for the Red Deer economic region from August of last year, and down 4.4 per cent from August 2019.

Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation Doug Schweitzer issued the following statement about the August 2021 Labour Force Survey:

“Building on July’s encouraging job numbers, Alberta saw 20,000 new jobs in August, with consecutive months of job growth across many sectors of the economy. Our unemployment rate is now the lowest it has been in 18 months. With new investments in tech, film, energy, agriculture and more, Alberta’s Recovery Plan is creating jobs and diversifying the economy while building for the future.

“Just this month, we saw announcements from Imperial Oil of a new hydrogen refinery and a joint hydrogen facility from Mitsubishi and Shell in our province, solidifying our lead as a global leader in hydrogen development.

“August’s job numbers confirm projections that Alberta will lead Canada in economic growth this year and next. Just this week, the Conference Board of Canada reaffirmed their projection that Alberta will lead Canada in growth this year and next year.

“We know there is still more work to do and government will remain focused on economic recovery and job creation. With our capital plan creating tens of thousands of jobs and oilsands production rising more than eight per cent in the first half of the year, exceeding 2019 levels and non-energy investment returning to 2019 levels this year, Alberta has a bright future.”