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Lethbridge-Medicine Hat’s unemployment rate jumps to 5.7 per cent in September

Oct 8, 2021 | 8:11 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Lethbridge-Medicine Hat economic region saw a small jump in its unemployment rate last month.

In September, the rate was at 5.7 per cent, up from 4.9 per cent in August. Nonetheless, the region continues to have the lowest rate in all of Alberta.

The province added 20,000 jobs last month but saw its unemployment rate go up slightly to 8.1 per cent. In August, the rate for Alberta was 7.9 per cent.

Below is how the economic regions in the province fared in September, with August’s unemployment stat listed in parenthesis:

  • Calgary: 9.2 per cent (10)
  • Camrose-Drumheller: 9.2 per cent (8.8)
  • Red Deer: 9.0 per cent (9.8)
  • Edmonton: 8.3 per cent (8.4)
  • Banff-Jasper-Rocky Mountain House-Athabasca-Grande Prairie-Peace River: 7.1 per cent (7.5)
  • Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake: 6.1 per cent (6.4)
  • Lethbridge-Medicine Hat: 5.7 per cent (4.9)

Meanwhile, the Canadian economy added 157,000 jobs in September and saw an unemployment rate of 6.9 per cent. That’s down from 7.1 per cent in August.

READ MORE: Canada adds 157,000 jobs in September, returning to pre-pandemic levels

The last time the country had such a large employment gain was in June 2021, when the national economy added 231,000 jobs.