The unemployment rate in the Moose Jaw–Swift Current region saw a significant drop in June, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada.
The data is based on a three-month rolling average and is not seasonally adjusted.
Out of a labour force of about 54,700 in the region, 53,300 people are employed and 1,400 are unemployed. The labour force grew by 3,800 compared to June of last year, while 2,400 more people were employed and 1,800 of the previously unemployed found jobs.
The region’s unemployment rate dropped year over year from 5.9 per cent to 2.6 per cent in June.
“We have a hard time finding employees right now. Actually, I can say that personally, on our farm, the ability to find and attract qualified labourers is not something we take for granted,” said Lumsden-Morse MLA Blaine McLeod during a media event Friday at Young’s Equipment.
McLeod added that the strong employment numbers are a sign of a strong economy, which is being fueled by new construction.
“I know several contractors who, if they could hire more people, they would. They see that as a really, really positive sign in our economy,” McLeod said.
Provincially, the labour force in June grew year over year by 13,400 to 654,500. The number of people employed rose by 19,300 to 625,000, while those unemployed dropped by 5,900 to 29,500.
Saskatchewan’s unadjusted unemployment rate was 4.5 per cent, compared to the national average of 6.8 per cent. The province’s rate in June 2024 was 5.5 per cent, which was still well below the national average of 6.2 per cent at that time.