Saskatchewan unemployment rate second-lowest in Canada in September
The provincial government highlighted record employment, while the Opposition NDP pointed to a loss of 5,500 full-time jobs compared to last year.
Saskatchewan recorded the second-lowest unemployment rate among provinces in September at 5.4 per cent, according to Statistics Canada figures highlighted by the provincial government.
"Saskatchewan's economy is strong and steady and the new labour market numbers from Statistics Canada reflect that strength," Immigration and Career Training Minister Eric Schmalz said in a news release issued Oct. 9.
The government said Saskatchewan added 2,400 jobs year-over-year and reached a monthly record of 625,000 people employed.
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However, the Opposition NDP says the headline employment numbers obscure a decline in full-time jobs and a shrinking labour force.
"Between September 2025 and 2026, 5,500 full-time jobs were lost," said Aleana Young, the NDP's shadow minister for jobs and the economy.
She also cited Statistics Canada figures showing that 3,500 people left the labour force in September alone.
The provincial government said Saskatchewan's unemployment rate was well below the national rate of 6.5 per cent in September.
Youth unemployment also declined from August to 11.4 per cent, compared with the national rate of 13 per cent.
Schmalz said the government is working to help residents prepare for jobs being created as the economy grows.
Saskatoon's employment increased by 900, or 0.4 per cent, compared with September 2025.
Regina recorded a larger gain of 5,300 jobs, an increase of 3.5 per cent over the same period.
The government also reported year-over-year private-sector employment growth of 21,500, or six per cent.
Manufacturing employment increased by 5,700, or 21.7 per cent, while construction employment grew by 5,700, or 11.8 per cent.
Health care and social assistance added 4,100 jobs, an increase of four per cent.
Beyond employment, the government pointed to Saskatchewan's ranking among provinces for growth in urban housing starts, manufacturing sales and merchandise exports as further signs of economic activity.
Young criticized Premier Scott Moe's government for presenting the employment figures as evidence of a strong economy without adequately addressing the declines in full-time work.
The central discrepancy is that overall employment can rise even while full-time employment falls.
Changes in part-time work can contribute to that difference, while movements in and out of the labour force can also affect the unemployment rate.
A person who stops looking for work is generally no longer counted as unemployed under Statistics Canada's labour force definitions.
The figures cited by the government and the NDP therefore describe different aspects of the labour market rather than necessarily contradicting one another.
The September results present a mixed picture: Saskatchewan had a relatively low unemployment rate, record overall employment and year-over-year gains in several major industries, but the Opposition raised concerns about losses in full-time work and a decline in labour force participation.
The province said its labour market and investment attraction strategies are intended to build the workforce and attract private investment to support future growth.
With files from DiscoverHumboldt