More people working. More people not working.
If you’re willing to accept the latest job numbers, it paints a positive picture for Saskatchewan. The total count of those with a job rose by about 1,200 in August. Those who were unemployed also went up. That is something of a positive signal because it means the size of the workforce is increasing. In other words, more people either have a job or believe they can find one so they’re out seeking employment.
Adding to the upbeat nature of the monthly report is that the number of part-time jobs declined, while full-time job went up rather noticeably.
These numbers also are something of a contrast to the national picture which saw overall job numbers recede, with losses most notable in Ontario and Alberta.
All of this is interesting, but the trends are yet to be borne out as we have seen significant volatility in the results of the monthly StatsCan job figures. So if we get a couple more months of relatively steady figures, we might be able to assess which direction the labour market is headed.
