Areas surrounding the West Country region had the lowest unemployment rate in the province for a second straight month, according to newly released numbers from Statistics Canada.
December 2024 data for the Statistics Canada area called Banff-Jasper-Rocky Mountain House and Athabasca-Grande Prairie-Peace River, Alberta, had an unemployment rate of 3.7 per cent.
That’s a drop from 4.0 per cent in November, and 4.9 per cent in October.
Camrose-Drumheller region continued to have the second lowest unemployment rate at 5.1 per cent— up from 4.3 per cent the month prior.
Red Deer was at 7.6 per cent in December, an increase from 6.9 per cent in November.
Overall, Alberta’s labour market ended 2024 on a high note.
Statistics Canada says there was a net increase of 35,200 jobs in the province in December. That includes an additional 35,900 full-time positions while part-time work declined by 800.
This led to a sizable improvement in the provincial unemployment rate, going down from 7.5 per cent in November to 6.7 per cent in December.
Many of the new jobs came from the province’s two largest cities as employment in Calgary was up 16,400, and in Edmonton, 10,600. The unemployment rates improved to 7.8 per cent and 7.4 per cent respectively.
The Alberta industries with the biggest gains in jobs were construction (+11,100), accommodation and food services (+8,300), and healthcare and social assistance (+6,800).
Professional, scientific and technical services saw about 11,900 fewer jobs being filled.
Nationally, economists say the country exceeded expectations by adding 91,000 jobs in December, leading the unemployment rate to slightly improve to 6.7 per cent.
The full Labour Force Survey can be found on Statistics Canada.
READ MORE: Canada added 91,000 jobs in December as unemployment rate fell
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