Southeast Saskatchewan’s labour market saw a significant contraction in September, shedding 1,100 jobs and holding the local unemployment rate at 6.5 per cent, according to the latest labour force data. 

The month-over-month decline saw the total number of people in the labour force also fall by 1,100 from August to September. 

The recent dip comes amid a challenging year-over-year trend for job seekers. While the regional labour force outside of Regina grew by 2,300 people since September of last year, only 700 new jobs were created over that same period. This gap has resulted in the number of unemployed individuals jumping by 1,800 over the past 12 months. 

Despite the tighter job market, a silver lining is the region’s highly engaged workforce. The southeast boasts a labour force participation rate of 71.3 per cent, the highest in the entire Regina-Moose Mountain economic region. This figure, which measures the share of the population working or actively seeking work, surpasses both the city of Regina’s rate of 69.9 per cent and the regional average of 70.2 per cent. 

The monthly downturn was not unique to the southeast. Across the entire economic region, employment fell by 2,100 in September, with the overall unemployment rate landing at 6.7 per cent. In Regina, the unemployment rate was slightly higher at 6.8 per cent. 

For September, the data for the southeast region shows a total labour force of 44,700, with 41,900 people employed and 2,900 unemployed. 

Provincially, the unemployment rate in Saskatchewan went from 4.7 per cent in August to 6 per cent. The increase was the second-highest in the country, behind Prince Edward Island. 

Nationally, the unemployment rate was unchanged at 7.1 per cent.  Â