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SASKATCHEWAN’S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE REMAINS THE LOWEST IN CANADA

Released on October 9, 2009

Saskatchewan continued to have the lowest unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) in Canada in September, with unemployment at 4.6 per cent, down from 5.0 per cent in August.

Among major Canadian cities, Saskatoon now has the lowest unemployment rate in Canada at 4.5 per cent while Regina is second-lowest at 4.6 per cent.

According to numbers released today by Statistics Canada, there were 521,800 people working in Saskatchewan in September. That's 2,100 more people working than the previous month (seasonally adjusted), but 700 fewer than September 2008. Canada as a whole has lost 328,900 jobs over the past year.

Advanced Education, Employment and Labour Minister Rob Norris said the low unemployment rate shows Saskatchewan's economy has remained strong through the economic downturn.

"We've known for some time that Saskatchewan is not immune from the recession, and we've seen its effects on the number of people working here," Norris said. "Still, we have the lowest unemployment rate in Canada, so Saskatchewan is the place to be if you're looking for work.

"Now with the Canadian economy starting to pull out of the recession and create new jobs, Saskatchewan is well-positioned to lead the recovery."

Norris said lower provincial taxes and a record investment in government construction projects have helped keep unemployment low in Saskatchewan, while the government's Rapid Response Teams have been working diligently to assist workers and employers who have fallen on difficult times.

"By facilitating federal Work Sharing that can protect jobs through challenging times, and provincial training and provincial career development programs, our Rapid Response Teams are on the front lines of this storm - and we've seen positive results," Norris said. "More than 1,300 Saskatchewan workers were on the federal Work Sharing Program in September, with 730 layoffs averted."

Norris also pointed to the more than 6,000 vacancies on www.saskjobs.ca as an indicator that opportunities are still available.

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For more information, contact:

Christopher Jones-Bonk
Advanced Education, Employment and Labour
Regina
Phone: 306-798-3106
Email: chris.jones-bonk@gov.sk.ca

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