Released on July 6, 2007
Saskatchewan has now marked 15 straight record months for people working in the province, with the best June ever for employment.
Statistics Canada figures out today show that 509,900 people were working in the province last month (seasonally unadjusted figure). That beats by 6,500 the previous record for June set last year.
"Our weather is hot and so are our job numbers, as we continue to show record growth on top of record growth," Industry and Resources Minister Maynard Sonntag said. "Combine that with last week's news of four consecutive quarters of population increases, including two consecutive quarters of net in-migration from Alberta, and you can clearly see an economy and a province that are on a roll."
Average year to date employment is up by 16,200 for the first six months of 2007 when compared to the same period last year.
Youth employment (ages 15 to 24) was up on average by 6,500 for the first six months of 2007 compared to the previous year. Saskatchewan's youth unemployment rate was the lowest in the country in June.
Employment for Aboriginal people living off-reserve was up 1,100 from June of last year.
Jobs were up last month in services, the oil, gas and mining industries, retail and wholesale trade, manufacturing, construction, and finance, insurance and real estate.
Other indicators are also tracking well for Saskatchewan's economy. Potash production and sales, oil production, manufacturing shipments, farm cash receipts, urban housing starts, international exports, retail sales, building permit values, and average weekly earnings are all up.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business in its June quarterly business barometer reports business confidence at its highest level ever in Saskatchewan. And a recent survey by staffing firm Manpower Inc. indicated that 100 per cent of Regina employers surveyed and 90 per cent of Saskatoon employers surveyed expected their staffing levels to increase or stay the same over the next quarter.
Saskatchewan was tied for the second lowest unemployment rate in Canada in June at 3.9 per cent (seasonally unadjusted), down 0.2 percentage points from June 2006 and below the national rate of 5.6 per cent.
Saskatchewan Labour Force statistics can be found online at www.stats.gov.sk.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Bob Ellis
Industry and Resources
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-1691
Email: rellis@ir.gov.sk.ca