Unemployment rises in southern Alberta region
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ALBERTA — Unemployment in January in the Lethbridge-Medicine Hat region was a full percentage point higher than one year earlier, according to data provided by the province.
The three-month moving average for January was 6.8 per cent, up from 6.4 per cent in December. It was 5.8 per cent in January 2016. It is however, lower than any other region.
All regions showed an increase except for Calgary, which inched down to 9.5 per cent — still the highest in Alberta. Data is not available for Wood Buffalo/Cold Lake due to the Fort McMurray wildfire last summer.
Alberta’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate rose to 8.8 per cent in January from 8.5 per cent in December. According to Statistics Canada, the province lost 24,300 full-time jobs, b ut gained 24,600 part-time positions. The increase in the unemployment rate was attributed to more people looking for work.
