Once again in 2012 the province of Alberta boasted the lowest unemployment levels of anywhere across the country. Furthermore, almost a quarter of the jobs created in Canada last year were in Alberta.
Economists are attributing the numbers to Alberta’s strong energy sector, which helped to create 55,000 jobs in 2012 as well as drive the unemployment rate down to 4.5 percent.
“These numbers show Alberta continues to be the best place for employment opportunities in Canada,” said a spokesman for Alberta Enterprise and Advanced Education.
Such opportunities have attracted many newcomers to the province and, although the official numbers are not in just yet, most analysts expect Alberta to report record immigration levels for 2012 as well. Over 30,000 people immigrated to the province from another country and another 36,000 moved from elsewhere in Canada.
As a whole, Canada also experienced job growth in 2012, with 201,500 new positions created.
“Canadian employment not only defied expectations in December, it also appears to be defying gravity,” said the Bank of Montreal’s deputy chief economist. “The Canadian labour market finished 2012 in fine fashion, posting solid job gains in four of the last five months, and driving the jobless rate to its lowest ebb in four years.”
Source: Edmonton Journal