Provincial jobs declining in Moose Jaw according to city

The number of Saskatchewan government jobs in Moose Jaw is dropping at an alarming rate, according to a new report from the city.

With more jobs expected to go by the wayside in the near future, one city councillor says it’s time for the province to step in.

“We’re attempting to build a logical case that shows we’re getting the short end of the stick,” Coun. Brian Swanson said.

The city has compiled a study every year since 2012 to document those numbers.

From SaskTel to senior care centres, public sector jobs also appear to be dwindling, but what worries Swanson is other cities gaining jobs while Moose Jaw slumps.

“When you see Regina and Saskatoon, the number of provincial government employees are going up and up significantly- whether it’s at Sask Polytechnic or Public Service Commission,” Swanson added. “It doesn’t seem things are spread evenly.

Since 2006, Sask Polytechnic has gone from 622 jobs to 518 in 2017- while Regina and Saskatoon gained nearly 200 positions each.

More cuts are on the way for the Friendly City as the Valley View Centre prepares to close its doors in 2019 – with no plan in place to replace the jobs lost.

“Valleyview, just 10-15 years ago, had 480 jobs,” Swanson noted. “Now they’re at 220, and a year from now there won’t be any.”

When it comes to the private sector the city is finding much more success. Tourism, energy,  retail, and manufacturing are on the uptick- but still, there’s big competition coming from bigger centres nearby.

With potentially usable buildings like the old Ross School sitting empty, Swanson would like to see the province step in.

“It would be nice to see some kind of strategy where it’s recognized that it’s a big chunk of Moose Jaw’s economy, and what can the government do, particularly in light of the other statistics, to kind of spread things around a bit,” He said.

“These government jobs might not mean a lot in bigger centres like Saskatoon or Regina but in smaller communities like Moose Jaw, Melville and Swift Current, they’re very important.”

Swanson hopes some decentralization would help other smaller cities like Melville and Swift Current get a leg up on the competition – but change or no change, he says Moose Jaw will remain open for business.