The unemployment rate in Western Alberta has jumped by almost two and a half percent for the month of June.
According to Statistics Canada data released by the province on Friday, the economic region that contains the Grande Prairie area showed an unemployment rate of 16.5 per cent in June, up from 14.1 per cent in May. Year over year, the overall unemployment rate for the region has jumped from 5.7 per cent in June 2019.
Western Alberta also represents the highest unemployment rate in the province, ahead of both Edmonton and Calgary, which have rates of 15.8 per cent, and 15 per cent respectively.
The provincial unemployment rate meanwhile held steady at 15.5 per cent, with no change from May. The national unemployment dropped to 12.2 per cent, down from 13.7 in May.