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 is into its fourth straight month of job increases and has set another record in the process. Statistics Canada figures released today show 497,400 people working in Saskatchewan in May (seasonally unadjusted figures). That's the highest figure on record for the month of May 2004, beating by 1,300 the old mark set in May 2000 and up 3,700 over last May's figure. May's job increases follow a similar record-setting performance in April for monthly job numbers. "We're very pleased by this strong growth in our job numbers - growth which speaks to the diversification of our economy and the performance of our key sectors," Industry and Resources Minister Eric Cline said. "Our province has innovative businesses that are forging ahead and creating new opportunitiesb for Saskatchewan workers." Sectors recording increases last month included manufacturing, construction, retail and wholesale trade, transportation, services and the forestry, oil and gas and mining industries. Full-time jobs were up 8,200 over the previous May. Employment in agriculture was down 2,200 year over year, with decreases exclusively in livestock production as a result of the continuing BSE challenge. Cline said other economic indicators continue to track well in 2004. Manufacturing shipments, potash production and sales, oil and gas production and drilling, retail and department store sales, building permit values and international exports are all up. Scotiabank, CIBC, TD Bank and Global Insight are all forecasting Saskatchewan to be one of the nation's leaders in economic growth this year. "Economic growth doesn't happen by accident," Cline said. "It occurs when businesses have confidence in a province, when there is a fostering entrepreneurial environment, and when there are supportive communities and government. Saskatchewan has that climate for growth, and is well positioned for future success." Saskatchewan was tied for the second lowest unemployment rate in Canada in May at 4.9 per cent (seasonally unadjusted), down 0.9 percentage points from May 2003 and well below the national rate of 7.3 per cent. Regina was tied for the fourth lowest unemployment rate among major Canadian cities at 4.9 per cent.
