Red Deer’s unadjusted unemployment rate was 6.6 per cent in November, which is a 1.2 percentage-point lower from October.
According to Statistics Canada, Red Deer’s labour force grew by 600 in November, while employment increased by 1,900. Part-time employment remained roughly the same, but full-time employment rose by about 2,000.
Red Deer’s unemployment rate in November 2020 was 10.4 per cent.
Provincially, Alberta’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.6 per cent in November, which is unchanged from the previous month and a decrease of 3.5 percentage points from the same month last year.
This rate was the fifth highest in Canada after Newfoundland and Labrador’s 10.4 per cent, New Brunswick’s 8.5 per cent, Nova Scotia’s 8.1 per cent, and Prince Edward Island’s eight per cent. The national rate was six per cent, down 0.7 percentage points from the previous month.
Alberta’s unemployment rate was unchanged because the labour force increased by 15,800 and employment increased by almost the same number of 15,400 from the previous month. Full-time employment decreased by 3,800 while part-time employment increased by 19,400 over the same period.
“Between November 2020 and November 2021, employment increased by 105,400. The number of unemployed Albertans decreased by 86,100 over the same period,” the Alberta Labour Force highlights package for November 2021 said.
“Year-over-year, employment gains were led by the private sector at 99,600. Public sector employment increased by 2,700 while self-employment increased by 3,300 over the same period.”
The industries that had the most employment decreases in November, compared to from the previous month, were educational services (5,500), manufacturing (2,000) and public administration (1,900).
Industries that had the most employment gains over the same period were other services except public administration (7,700), wholesale and retail trade (7,100), and construction (6,100).
Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation Doug Schweitzer said November’s job numbers show the province’s economic momentum is continuing to build.
“This year was the year that Alberta got our swagger back. Next year will be the year we prove to the world that we are the absolute best place to invest, create jobs and raise your family,” Schweitzer said.
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