Carnie's Comments
It was last month when we got the good news. The unemployment rate in the Moose Jaw / Swift Current region is the lowest in Canada. In fact, the local region was tied with the Yorkton / Melville area for the lowest in the country.
More people are working, and the labour force is growing.
However, there are challenges for employers who need people with specific skill sets. That's why we have around 15,000 job vacancies in our province.
Golden West business commentator Paul Martin told us, "While there is a talent pool out there of people who are unemployed, matching skill sets isn't always as easy as that sounds...employers still scramble to try and fill these positions.”
Mr. Martin also told us, to attract the talent they need, Saskatchewan employers are responding by increasing pay. This has led to a crucial economic benefit – real wage growth.
“If you have wages that are rising faster than inflation, you actually have the potential or capacity for people to be able to save, to perhaps get a mortgage or upgrade their home...which are all very stimulative for the economy.”
This is a good time to be working and living in Saskatchewan.