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Lethbridge-Medicine Hat sees Alberta’s lowest unemployment rate in August at 4.9 per cent

Sep 10, 2021 | 8:50 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – As Alberta continues to grapple with surging COVID-19 case numbers, the latest job numbers show the Lethbridge-Medicine Hat region has its fair share of workers.

The latest unemployment statistics have been released, with the Lethbridge-Medicine Hat economic region at 4.9 per cent in August. That’s the lowest rate in all of Alberta, however, it’s up ever so slightly from 4.4 per cent in July 2021.

Last month, the unemployment rate for Alberta as a province was 7.9 per cent. In July, it was 8.5 per cent. Close to 20,000 jobs were gained in August in the province, according to Statistics Canada. The agency said those gains were led by transportation and warehousing, as well as the information, culture and recreation, and accommodation and food services sectors.

Below is a list of the unemployment rates per economic region in Alberta for August, with July’s rate listed in parenthesis:

  • Calgary: 10 per cent (9.7)
  • Red Deer: 9.8 per cent (10.2)
  • Camrose-Drumheller: 8.8 per cent (7.2)
  • Edmonton: 8.4 per cent (9.0)
  • Banff-Jasper-Rocky Mountain House-Athabasca-Grande Prairie-Peace River: 7.5 per cent (8.2)
  • Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake: 6.4 per cent (6.2)
  • Lethbridge-Medicine Hat: 4.9 per cent (4.4)

Country-wide, the jobless rate for Canada was 7.1 per cent in August, compared with 7.5 per cent in July. The 7.1 per cent is the lowest level the country’s seen since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

Statistics Canada said the national economy added 90,000 jobs last month, the third consecutive monthly increase.