Alberta job growth strong as Canada enjoys best 2-month gain since 1981
Alberta led the country in yearover-year job growth last month as Canada recorded its best back-toback monthly gains in 30 years.
April registered 58,200 new jobs, mostly full time, after a whopping gain of 82,300 in March, Statistics Canada said Friday.
The back-to-back jump of 140,500 jobs was the biggest since a 143,300 rise in January and February of 1981.
Alberta accounted for 10,700 new jobs last month, up 0.5 per cent on a monthly basis. Year over year, the province has created 79,900 new jobs. The unemployment rate fell to 4.9 per cent from 5.3 per cent in March.
Todd Hirsch, senior economist with ATB Financial, said Alberta’s job-creating machine “suggests a robust economy — and one that appears to be getting brighter as we head into the summer.”
Statistics Canada reported Friday that employment in Alberta was up 3.9 per cent over the previous 12 months, the fastest growth of all provinces. In Calgary, employment grew by 0.2 per cent on a monthly basis, or by 1,300 jobs, and by four per cent on an annual basis, or 28,600 jobs.
“Natural resources employment continued on an upward trend that started in September 2011, with gains of 11,000 in April. This industry remained the fastest growing of all industries, posting year-over-year employment growth of 12.5 per cent,” said Statistics Canada.
Christy Hall, director of business development in Calgary for Concorde Group Inc., said the company has seen an increase each year in the number of people who want to work with the company. It currently operates 12 eating and drinking establishments in Calgary with two new openings soon.
Today, it’s holding a hiring fair for the Wild Horse Saloon, an outdoor tent that will operate during the Stampede. Hall said about 50 people will be hired. A further 15 people will be hired for the West’s rooftop patio during the Stampede.
“We have people asking about working at the tent in August of last year,” Hall said. “Facebooking and e-mailing asking how they would get on for this year. . . . We have a waiting list of people wanting to get in. We have no problem filling our roster.”
Alberta’s unemployment rate was tied with Saskatchewan as the lowest in the country. According to the Alberta government, the yearover-year employment increase in the province accounted for 37.4 per cent of Canada’s employment growth over the same period.
Calgary’s unemployment rate was ranked fourth behind Regina (3.8 per cent), Quebec City (5.0) and Victoria (5.0).
Douglas Porter, deputy chief economist at BMO Capital Markets, said Canadian employment surprised to the high side again.
“Canadian employment may be back to its old tricks again of posting massive first-half job gains, and then flattening out in the second half of the year,” he said.
“In any event, the hefty back-toback increases will silence concerns that the economy was sagging notably.”
Meanwhile, the BMO Hiring Intentions Survey, released Friday, indicates 46 per cent of Canadian businesses plan to add new employees this year.
In Alberta, it was 44 per cent.