The unemployment rate in Saskatchewan rose during September, but remained the lowest in Canada. Statistics Canada reported Friday the unemployment rate was 5.1 per cent, an increase of 0.4 percentage points from August.
The report also found there were 3,200 more people working in the province. Almost all the job gains were in full-time employment.
There was also an increase in the size of the labour force to 606,900, up 6,000 from the previous month.
All numbers are seasonally adjusted.
READ MORE: 5 things to know about the September job numbers
Saskatchewan Jobs Minister Jeremy Harrison pointed to the private sector as a factor in the job gains.
“Overall, the labour market is in good shape, and that will help to create more opportunities for working men and women today and in the future,” said Harrison in a release.
While full-time employment may be up over the last month, the Opposition NDP said almost 6,000 full-time jobs have been lost in the province over the past year.
“Instead of adding good, mortgage-paying careers here in Saskatchewan, we’re seeing a trend toward precarious part-time employment,” said NDP deputy leader Trent Wotherspoon.
“We need to stop all the contracting out this government is doing, because that’s a big part of that problem.”
Nationally, the unemployment rate was 7.1 per cent.
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