EDMONTON – Despite shedding 13,000 full-time jobs in July, Alberta’s unemployment rate edged down, according to Statistics Canada figures released Friday.
Alberta gained a total of 8,800 jobs in July while the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 6.3 per cent – the lowest it’s been since April 2009.
But full-time employment fell by 13,000 jobs while part-time jobs increased by 21,700.
The provincial jobless rate is down from 6.7 per cent in June and 7.2 per cent from July 2009.
“Employment increased in Alberta for the fourth consecutive month,” Statistics Canada said. “Despite recent gains, employment growth in Alberta over the past year has been among the slowest in the country at 1.2 per cent.”
Edmonton’s seasonally adjusted, three-month moving average rate fell to 6.9 per cent from 7.1 per cent the previous month and 7.2 per cent the previous year.
Nationally, the average rate remained flat, inching to 8.0 per cent, up 0.1 percentage points from the previous month. Compared to July 2009, the rate was down 0.6 percentage points.
“Large full-time declines (-139,000) in July were mostly offset by part-time gains (+130,000).”
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