There were 4,000 fewer people working in Saskatchewan during October.
Statistics Canada reported Friday 4,500 full-time jobs were lost in the province during the month, which was offset by a gain in part-time positions.
The number of people in the workforce dropped by 6,400 from the previous month and the unemployment rate dropped 0.3 percentage points to 5.9 per cent.
On a year-over-year basis, employment in the province has remained virtually unchanged while the unemployment rate has dropped 1.1 percentage points.
The Opposition NDP said the Saskatchewan Party needs to focus on creating and supporting an economic environment that creates more jobs.
“The fact that Saskatchewan is one of only two provinces to experience job loss over the last year, it couldn’t be more clear that they are part of the problem, not the solution,” Vicki Mowat, the Saskatchewan NDP jobs critic, said.
“The Sask. Party should be creating opportunities in Saskatchewan instead they’re failing so many people in many different sectors.”
Economy Minister Steven Bonk said although the impact of low resource prices is being felt in the labour market, there is reason for optimism.
“Having the third lowest unemployment rate in the nation shows Saskatchewan’s economy is beginning to recover,” Bonk said.
“That is a good reason to be optimistic about economic growth through the rest of 2017 and into next year.”
The unemployment rate has still not returned to levels observed in the fall of 2014 just prior to the oil-related downturn in the economy.
In November 2014, the unemployment rate was 3.5 per cent, rising to a high of 7.0 per cent in October 2016.
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