The latest job numbers show an increase in part-time employment in Alberta, but the province has seen a decrease in full-time employment.
Data released by Statistics Canada Friday shows the Canadian economy added 337,000 jobs in February, more than offsetting the loss of 200,000 jobs in January as the unemployment rate fell below pre-pandemic levels.
Canada’s national unemployment rate dropped to 5.5 per cent in February compared with 6.5 per cent in January. That’s the lowest the unemployment rate has been in Canada since February 2020, when it sat at 5.7 per cent.
Eight provinces saw job increases last month, mostly attributed to employees being called back to work from temporary layoff in the months prior as provinces tightened restrictions to slow the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
However, there was little employment change here in Alberta, where the unemployment rate is 6.8 per cent. Statistics Canada data shows that while part-time employment rose last month by 17,700 positions, Alberta lost 9,600 full-time positions in February.
“There’s a little bit of softness underneath the numbers in that we did lose full-time jobs. So all of the increase was from part-time employment,” said Rob Roach, deputy chief economist and managing director at ATB Financial.
Roach said it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where the job losses came from, but said the majority of the gains came from the hard-hit service sectors.
“Accommodation and food services, recreation, etc. The loss is a little bit harder to pin down. There might have been some supply chain disruptions and slowdowns in some of our manufacturing businesses. Same thing on the transportation side.”
Roach said he wouldn’t read too much into one month’s worth of data, adding the overall job picture in Alberta is positive. He said the growth in Alberta’s economy goes hand in hand with job growth, but warned the latter may not keep pace with the overall level of economic growth.
“It’s hard to have strong economic growth without decent job growth and vice versa. There’s a little bit of a disconnect in Alberta this year in that those high oil prices are going to push up company profits a little bit more on the investment side and a little bit more on the export side — you don’t necessarily need a lot more people to make that happen,” he explained.
“But they should both be in positive territory over the course of the year.”
Nationally, jobs are rising across both full-time (up 0.8 per cent ) and part-time (up 6.2 per cent) positions.
“These job losses signal that we’re not seeing the kind of broad recovery that working families need, particularly here in Calgary,” NDP Energy Critic Kathleen Ganley said of the loss of full-time jobs.
“I know a lot of Albertans will be asking, ‘Why, when energy prices are so high, did I lose my job?'”
Calgary’s unemployment rate is among the highest of Canada’s major cities at 8 per cent.
“Alberta is falling further behind the rest of Canada and that’s more proof that Albertans can’t trust the UCP to manage the economy when we have $100 oil and so many Calgarians can’t find a job,” Ganley said.
Calgary Economic Development (CED) said the city’s labour force has grown, with February seeing the first period of notable improvements since October 2021.
“However, all that positive momentum was driven by continued increases in part-time jobs,” said Dexter Lam, senior manager of talent with CED.
The strongest job gains last month in Calgary came in the wholesale and retail trade and information sector, as well as culture and recreation, according to CED. The business and other support services sector experienced the most losses.
“The improvements in front-line service(s) occurred before the lifting of COVID-19 related restrictions,” Lam said. “Our focus can likely start shifting from pandemic recovery back to structural and longer-term transitions that will support Calgary’s future economy.”
Edmonton’s unemployment rate is 6.9 per cent.
In a statement, Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation Doug Schweitzer said the numbers show Alberta is coming back.
“Our economy continues to grow, which is great news for all Albertans,” he said. “Every job added means another Albertan is receiving a regular paycheque. Every drop in unemployment means more Albertans returning to the workforce.
“As we emerge from a difficult few years, there is increasing evidence that our economy is on the verge of taking off. Economic indicators like building permits are up and more businesses were incorporated in Alberta in February compared with the same time last year. Additionally, our international exports are up by more than 65 per cent.”
— with files from The Canadian Press.
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