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(The Canadian Press)

May’s jobless rate sees big jump in Lethbridge-Medicine Hat region

Jun 5, 2020 | 8:53 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Lethbridge-Medicine Hat economic region’s unemployment rate saw a dramatic spike last month.

The jobless rate was 9.0 percent in May. That’s up from 6.8 percent in April.

The Lethbridge-Medicine Hat rate was the lowest of all the economic regions in Alberta.

Both the provincial and national economies have felt the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic over the past few months.

Alberta’s unemployment rate was 15.5 percent in May, second highest of all provinces.

In April, Alberta’s jobless rate was 13.4 percent.

Here’s how each economic region in Alberta breaks down, with the unemployment rates for April listed in parenthesis:

· Banff-Jasper-Rocky Mountain House and Athabasca-Grande Prairie-Peace River: 14.1 percent (10.1)

· Edmonton: 13.8 percent (10.1)

· Calgary: 13.2 percent (10.8)

· Red Deer: 12.7 percent (11.1)

· Camrose-Drumheller: 10.4 percent (9.3)

· Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake: 9.9 percent (7.9)

· Lethbridge-Medicine Hat: 9.0 percent (6.8)

The jobless rate for the youth age range (15-24), male and female, was listed at 31.6 percent. For adults (age 25 and up), male and female, the rate was 13.3 percent in May.

NATION-WIDE

Nationally, Canada’s unemployment was 13.7 percent in May. This comes as the national economy actually added 289,600 jobs last month.

READ MORE: National unemployment rate hits new record even as economy adds jobs

Here’s a breakdown of the jobless rate in each province for the month of May, with April’s rate listed in parenthesis:

· Newfoundland and Labrador: 16.3 percent (16.0)

· Alberta: 15.5 percent (13.4)

· Prince Edward Island: 13.9 percent (10.8)

· Quebec: 13.7 percent (17.0)

· Nova Scotia: 13.6 percent (12.0)

· Ontario: 13.6 percent (11.3)

· British Columbia: 13.4 percent (11.5)

· New Brunswick: 12.8 percent (13.2)

· Saskatchewan: 12.5 percent (11.3)

· Manitoba: 11.2 percent (11.4)