By James Wood

Local unemployment rate continues to drop

Aug 4, 2017 | 10:11 AM

The unemployment rate in the local area is continuing to fall.

According to newly-released employment statistics, Medicine Hat had an unemployment rate of 3.6 per cent for July of 2017, down from 4.5 in June of 2017. In 2016, the July unemployment rate stood at 13 per cent.

The unemployment rate in July for the region has dropped to 4.1 per cent, down from 7.6 per cent in the previous year.

Compared to the rates across all provincial regions, Lethbridge-Medicine Hat was the lowest, with the highest at 8.8 per cent in Edmonton.

Young minds, big ideas: Elementary students learn about urban planning with 'Box City'

15h ago

HERE'S WHAT TO KNOW

Summer pool hours extended and discounts applied as Big Marble Go Centre upgrades start

Apr 18, 2024

Medicine Hat company drawing in clients with witty signage

Apr 16, 2024

Nationally, jobs growth slowed down in July, but around 11 thousand were added. The jobless rate across Canada fell two notches to 6.3 per cent, the lowest in close to nine years. Employment in Ontario went up by 26 thousand, while Alberta lost 14 thousand jobs.

Statistics Canada is also reporting the country’s trade deficit rose to 3.6-billion dollars in June, from a shortfall of 1.4-billion the previous month.

Exports fell 4.3 per cent to 46.5-billion, while imports climbed 0.3 per cent to 50.1-billion.

Canada’s national unemployment rate was 6.3 per cent in July. Here are the jobless rates last month by province (previous month in brackets):

— Newfoundland and Labrador 15.7 per cent (14.9)

— Prince Edward Island 10.0 (10.2)

— Nova Scotia 7.9 (8.8)

— New Brunswick 6.5 (8.1)

— Quebec 5.8 (6.0)

— Ontario 6.1 (6.4)

— Manitoba 5.0 (5.3)

— Saskatchewan 6.6 (6.5)

— Alberta 7.8 (7.4)

— British Columbia 5.3 (5.1)

-with files from the Canadian Press