The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Saskatchewan job numbers closed out 2012 with a monthly record high of 539,800 employed people in December, according to Statistics Canada. But opposition politicians say last year was not all it was cracked up to be on the jobs front. December's increase of 16,300 over December 2011 marked the 13th consecutive month where provincial jobs records have been set. '2012 was a very successful year for our province, with strong job growth of 2.1 per cent and jobs up by 11,200 from the previous year,' Economy Minister Bill Boyd said. 'We are working diligently to encourage even more people to choose Saskatchewan as their place to live, work, do business, and raise a family, and are looking forward to an equally successful 2013.' Yet despite experiencing overall employment gains in 2012, Saskatchewan saw losses in private sector employment and the First Nations and M_tis labour force. The private sector lost 600 jobs. The M_tis labour force shrunk by 1,500 while the First Nations labour force shrunk by 700. The labour force includes those who are either working or actively looking for work. NDP employment critic Cam Broten called it 'especially concerning' that the jobs figures have 'not painted a very good picture of First Nations and M_tis employment.' 'Once again this highlights the need for the Sask. Party government to reverse its decision and reinstate the Aboriginal Employment Development Program,' he said. But it wasn't all bad news, as off-reserve aboriginal employment was up by 500 in 2012. Saskatchewan's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 4.6 per cent was once again the second lowest in the country in December. 'Saskatchewan is in an enviable position - we are seeing growth all around us,' Boyd said. 'The Saskatchewan Plan for Growth has laid out a very clear direction for the province and that will mean more growth, more investment, and more people working and living here.' Sectors of the province that lost jobs in 2012 included: accommodation and food services (-4,600 jobs); finance, insurance, real estate and leasing (-2,500 jobs); trade (-1,700 jobs); professional, scientific and technical services (-1,100 jobs); utilities (-600 jobs); and transportation and warehousing (-200 jobs). _ Compiled from Government of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan NDP Caucus news releases
