Estimates show the statistical area encompassing the West Country had the lowest unemployment rate in the province for November 2024.

New data for the Statistics Canada area called Banff-Jasper-Rocky Mountain House and Athabasca-Grande Prairie-Peace River, Alberta, pegs the unemployment rate of 4.0 per cent last month.

That was down from 4.9 per cent in October.

Rocky’s unemployment is now lower than that of the Camrose-Drumheller region which was 4.3 per cent— unchanged from the month prior.

While taking it with a grain of salt since it is such a large statistical area, Michelle Meatheringham, executive director for the Rocky Chamber, was pleased with the numbers nonetheless.

“Four per cent is a good number to be at right now, and low unemployment is good for the economy,” she says.

The highest unemployment in the province was seen in the two largest cities, with Calgary at 7.3 per cent and Edmonton at 7.4 per cent.

Around the province, Red Deer came in at 6.9 per cent, Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake at 5.8 per cent, and Lethbridge-Medicine Hat at 6.2 per cent.

Data comes from Statistics Canada’s monthly Labour Force report.

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