MARCH JOB NUMBERS HIT RECORD

Saskatchewan Has Strongest Employment Growth and Lowest Unemployment Rate in Canada

There were 547,700 people working in Saskatchewan in March, an increase of 25,700 (4.9 per cent) over last March.  That’s the strongest rate of employment growth in Canada and the most people ever working in Saskatchewan in the month of March.

“March was cold this year in Saskatchewan but our job market was hot,” Economy Minister Bill Boyd said.  “Today’s numbers show our Growth Plan is working and our government will keep making decisions that encourage job creation in Saskatchewan.”

Saskatchewan had the lowest unemployment rate in Canada in March at 3.9 per cent (seasonally adjusted).  That’s well below the 7.2 per cent national unemployment rate.   Regina's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.5 per cent was the lowest among all major cities and Saskatoon's unemployment rate of 4.0 per cent was the second lowest.

Off-reserve aboriginal employment was up by 2,200 (5.6 per cent) for the second month in a row of year-over-year increases, and aboriginal unemployment dropped 1,600 for the sixth month in a row of year-over-year declines.  The aboriginal unemployment rate is now 12.2 per cent, down from 15.8 per cent a year ago.

“There is still more work to be done in closing the employment gap between aboriginal and non-aboriginal people, but today's numbers show we are moving in the right direction,” Boyd said.  “Jobs are tracking higher so far in 2013 which is an encouraging sign that the Saskatchewan economy will have another good year.”

Other highlights include:

• Full-time employment increased by 19,800 to a record high of 445,400 for the month of March.
• Construction jobs were up 7,900 and Agriculture jobs were up 7,600 year-over-year.
• Regina's employment increased by 7,100 (5.8 per cent) and Saskatoon's employment increased by 10,600 (7.2 per cent).
• Saskatchewan’s seasonally adjusted employment increased by 2,400 (0.4 per cent) from the previous month with the second highest growth rate in the country.

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For more information, contact:

Deb Young
Economy
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4765
Email: deb.young@gov.sk.ca