The latest job numbers from Statistics Canada were released on Friday, and while across the country January saw the unemployment rate go back up, here in Saskatchewan the unemployment rate actually went down.  

In Saskatchewan, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in January went from 8 percent to 7.2 percent, making it the lowest in the country. It was also well below the national average of 9.4 percent.  

“The comparative performance of the Saskatchewan economy during the COVID-19 pandemic has been remarkable,” Immigration and Career Training Minister Jeremy Harrison said in a written release. “Once again, Saskatchewan has the strongest jobs performance in the country and is leading in export growth as well.  While Saskatchewan has not been immune to the global impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, our province has demonstrated incredible resiliency as we lead Canada’s economic recovery.” 

Employment in the province increased by 2,200 jobs, all in part-time employment, with full-time employment remaining steady. Part of the drop was seen as a reduction in the number of people looking for work, therefore no longer included as part of the labour force.