Alberta unemployment eases to 6.8% in August as Edmonton hits 6.9%
Statistics Canada's latest labour force figures show Alberta's jobless rate ticking down slightly, while unemployment varied widely across the province's major cities.
Why it matters
The figures give Alberta job seekers and employers a snapshot of how local labour markets compare to the rest of the country.
Statistics Canada reported the national unemployment rate stood at 6.4 per cent in August, with Alberta's provincial rate at 6.8 per cent, down from 7.0 per cent in July. Alberta's rate remained above the national average but below several other provinces, including Ontario at 6.9 per cent and British Columbia at 6.5 per cent.
Within Alberta, city-level data showed notable differences. Edmonton's unemployment rate held steady at 6.9 per cent, unchanged from the previous month. Calgary's rate improved slightly to 6.7 per cent from 6.8 per cent, while Lethbridge remained flat at 5.6 per cent. Red Deer posted the highest rate among Alberta's major cities at 7.3 per cent, though that was an improvement from 7.6 per cent in July.
Statistics Canada cautioned that the city-level figures, which are seasonally adjusted three-month moving averages, may fluctuate widely because they rely on small statistical samples. Nationally, Kelowna, B.C. recorded the highest unemployment rate among cities surveyed at 9.0 per cent, while Saguenay, Que. posted the lowest at 3.5 per cent.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.