Canada's Alberta Sees The Best Employment Growth In The Year

08 Dec 2013

According to Statistics Canada, the quickest year-over-year employment growth in Canada in November is seen in Alberta.

The national agency reported that Alberta’s employment raised 3.6% i.e., 78,100 jobs from the past year.

Employment increased by 10,600 positions i.e., 0.5%, on a monthly basis.

Statistics Canada said that the unemployment rate of the province raised to 4.7% (a 0.3% points increase) as more people were searching for jobs.

This is the 2^nd lowest unemployment rate in Canada to Saskatchewan’s 4.1%.

The Calgary census metropolitan area’s unemployment rate remained at 4.6%, the same as the past month. The Calgary region’s employment increased by 0.5% i.e., 3,600 positions from October-2012 and by 4.2% i.e., 32,100 positions from November-2012.

The government of Alberta said yearly employment growth in Alberta accounted for 43.6% of employment growth in Canada over the same period.

In November from the last month, the following sectors in Alberta had the highest growth in employment: Building, Business and Other Support Services - 5,300; Trade - 6,800; and Technical, Professional and Scientific Services - 7,500.

Chief economist with ATB Financial, Todd Hirsch, said the impressive thing about Alberta was the quality of employment created. He said that an additional 30,100 jobs were full-time and full-time jobs usually offer broader benefit packages and pay better.

Hirsch said that over the last year, the sectors with substantial gains in Alberta include construction (14,600); oil and gas extraction (14,700); and technical, professional and scientific services (21,200).