Unemployment numbers are up once again both here in the Peace Region and across Alberta, though our area is still lagging behind the provincial average. Last month Alberta lost nearly 15,000 jobs, which is more than 40 per cent of the roughly 36,000 jobs that were lost across the country.
Provincially, the unemployment rate rose from 6.6 per cent to 7. Here in our region- which encompasses Grande Prairie, Athabasca, and Rocky Mountain House- unemployment rose by 0.6 per cent to 6.3 per cent. This time last year we were sitting at 4.1 per cent unemployment.
Things are looking worst of all for the Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake region, which is home to Fort McMurray. Unemployment there is at 8.1 per cent, more than a full percentage above the province’s rate.
Across the country unemployment rose by 0.1 to 7 per cent.