Calgary remains Canadian city with highest unemployment rate amid decrease to 9.8%

Calgary’s unemployment rate fell 0.3 per cent last month to land at 9.8 per cent, according to Statistics Canada data released Friday.

While the decrease was welcome news, Calgary’s rate has remained the highest of any major urban area in Canada for more than half a year.

The Canadian unemployment rate fell to 6.8 per cent from 6.9 per cent in December, while Alberta employment remained flat in January with part-time gains offsetting losses in full-time jobs.

Province-wide, unemployment increased to 8.8 per cent. Statistics Canada attributed the 0.3 per cent increase to the climb in number of people looking for work.

Employment in Alberta was “little changed” on a year-over-year basis, the organization said.

A look at Calgary’s unemployment rate history:

  June 2016 – 8.3 per cent (compared to 8.1 per cent in May)

  July 2016 – 8.6 per cent (Calgary’s unemployment rate becomes worst in Canada)

  August 2016 – 9 per cent

  September 2016 – 9.5 per cent

 October 2016 – 10.2 per cent

 November 2016 – 10.3 per cent

 December 2016 – 10.2 per cent

 January 2017 – 9.8 per cent

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