Calgary’s unemployment rate the highest in Canada for a year

Calgary has had the highest jobless rate in Canada for 12 straight months, according to new numbers released by Statistics Canada on Friday.

The oil and gas hub’s unemployment rate dropped in June, but at 8.9 per cent, Calgary’s jobless rate remained the highest among the 33 metropolitan areas surveyed.

However, Peterborough, Ont., came in a close second with a jump to 8.5 per cent from 6.7 the month before.

A look at Calgary’s unemployment rate history:

  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

 February 2017 – 9.4 per cent

  March 2017 – 9.3 per cent

→ April 2017 – 9.3 per cent

→ May 2017 – 9.3 per cent

 June 2017 – 8.9 per cent

In Edmonton, the unemployment rate was unchanged, sitting at steady at 7.9 per cent.

Alberta, which has been hit hard by the collapse in oil prices, added 7,500 positions in June and its jobless rate dropped to 7.4 per cent from 7.8 per cent in May.

The national unemployment rate was little changed, dropping 0.1 of a percentage point to 6.5 per cent. Statistics Canada reports the country added 45,300 jobs last month, far more than the 10,000 that was estimated.

With files from The Canadian Press