Statistics Canada reports that Alberta lead the country in employment gains in August 2023. (Photo: Paulbradyphoto | Dreamstime.com)

By David Opinko

Alberta lead employment growth in Canada in August

Sep 8, 2023 | 11:15 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Government of Alberta its touting the latest jobs report from Statistics Canada.

Released on Friday, September 8, 2023, the agency said the national unemployment rate was flat at 5.5 per cent in August as 40,000 jobs were added.

Approximately 45 per cent of the new jobs were in Alberta, which saw employment increase by 18,000.

That includes around 24,800 new full-time positions in the province and a decrease of 7,100 part-time jobs.

Gains were seen in industries in Alberta such as natural resources, construction, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and healthcare and social assistance, among others. Fields including agriculture, financial insurance, real estate, and educational services experienced decreases in employment.

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The provincial unemployment rate fell by 0.4 per cent to 5.7 per cent last month.

Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade Matt Jones said Alberta’s economy continues to grow.

“Our efforts to make life more affordable are working. Alberta’s inflation rate has generally been below the national average – while average weekly earnings are seven per cent higher than the national average,” said Jones.

Jones highlighted major recent investments into the province by companies such as Coca-Cola, Teknol and Flair Airlines, saying companies both large and small are choosing to invest in and create jobs in Alberta.

“Long term, the employment trends are favourable too. In the last 12 months, Alberta’s employment has grown by 4.1 per cent, above the national average of 2.5 per cent,” added Jones.

Alberta, B.C., and P.E.I. were the only Canadian provinces to experience gains in employment in August. Jobs were down in Nova Scotia while Statistics Canada did not note any significant differences elsewhere in the country.

READ MORE: Unemployment rate steady at 5.5% in August as economy adds 40K jobs; StatCan

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