The unemployment rate for western Alberta increased slightly last month, after falling to its lowest point in seven months in July. The jobless rate for the economic region that houses Grande Prairie and Peace River was 6 per cent in August, down from 5.8 per cent the month before and 7.2 per cent a year earlier.
Canada’s unemployment rate has dropped to its lowest level in nine years. It dipped 0.1 per cent in August to 6.2 per cent. Statistics Canada says the economy lost 88,000 full-time positions, but that was offset by the creation of 110,000 part-time jobs.
In Alberta, the unemployment rate was 8.1 per cent in August, up from 7.8 per cent in July. It’s still lower than a year ago, when the rate was 8.5 per cent.
With files from Marie Cassidy