Released on April 5, 2002
Saskatchewan's job numbers held steady in March according to figuresreleased today.
Statistics Canada figures show 465,700 people were working in the province
last month (seasonally unadjusted). That's the third highest number on
record for the month of March, and is only a small drop - 1,100 - from the
figure for March, 2001. Saskatchewan has seen job growth over the last
three months of 9,000 jobs (seaonally adjusted).
"Our job numbers have been encouraging in recent months, and today's
figures give further evidence of our economy's strengths and its
challenges," Industry and Resources Minister Eldon Lautermilch
said. "While our agriculture numbers are down, employment outside
agriculture is up over last year - a testament to the more diversified,
resilient economy that Saskatchewan people have built."
Non-agricultural jobs were up 4,400 over the figure for March of last
year. Agricultural employment dropped by 5,500 over the same period. Job
increases came in construction, services, retail and wholesale trade, and
public administration.
Lautermilch noted other indicators also show an economy that is turning
around. Retail and department store sales, urban housing starts,
residential building permits, new business incorporations, oil and gas
production and mineral production (excluding potash) are all up. Social
assistance caseloads are down.
Saskatchewan had the third lowest unemployment rate in Canada at 6.2 per
cent in March (seasonally unadjusted), up marginally -- 0.1 percentage
points -- from last March but well below the national rate of 8.3 per
cent. Regina was tied for second (5.3 per cent) and Saskatoon tied for
fourth (5.5 per cent) for lowest unemployment rates of major Canadian
cities.
"Our job numbers will fluctuate from month to month, and over the short
term we'll continue to see the effects of a changing agriculture sector,"
Lautermilch said. "We have lots of reasons to be optimistic as we continue
to diversify into value-added agriculture, build new industries like
ethanol, and invest in leading-edge research and development.
"Those efforts, combined with our continuing program of sustainable tax
cuts and sound fiscal management, are helping us build a province of
opportunity - a province with more jobs and more careers for Saskatchewan
people."
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For more information, contact:
Bob Ellis
Industry and Resources
Regina
Phone (306) 787-1691