The unemployment rate in Alberta increased to 8.4 per cent in August — that’s up more than half of a percentage point from July’s rate of 7.8 per cent, according to the latest numbers from Statistics Canada.
That’s the second-highest unemployment rate among all the provinces.
Only Newfoundland and Labrador had a higher rate last month at 10.7 per cent.
Saskatchewan had the lowest jobless rate in the country at 4.7 per cent.
Nationally, the unemployment rate increased to 7.1 per cent — its highest level since May 2016, excluding the pandemic.
StatCan said most of the jobs lost were part-time.
The August unemployment rate of 8.4 per cent in Alberta was the second highest of all the provinces, according to Statistics Canada.
Courtesy: Statistics Canada
In Calgary, one of four cities in Alberta included in the latest numbers, the unemployment rate remained steady at 7.7 per cent, as the number of people in the labour force declined by about 5,300 people.
In Edmonton, the jobless rate increased from 7.9 per cent in July to 8.5 per cent in August, as the number of jobs available failed to keep pace with an increase in the labour force that added 10,600 people in August.
The unemployment rate in the city of Red Deer increased from 5.4 per cent in July to 6.7 per cent in August as the number of people with jobs shrank by 1,500.
Global News
The city of Red Deer saw the biggest jump, with the rate spiking from 5.4 per cent in July to 6.7 per cent in August.
In Lethbridge, the unemployment rate climbed a full percentage point from 5.7 in July to 6.7 per cent last month.
