The Moose Jaw-Swift Current region saw its unemployment rate climb sharply over the past year, according to the latest Statistics Canada labour force estimates, even as the size of the local workforce increased.
Statistics Canada’s three-month rolling average for August 2026 showed the region’s unemployment rate at 6.3 per cent, up from 2.4 per cent in August 2025, when it had the lowest unemployment rate in Saskatchewan.
The region recorded 52,400 employed workers out of a labour force of 55,900, leaving 3,500 people unemployed.
A year earlier, there were 53,200 employed workers in a labour force of 54,500, with 1,300 unemployed.
While employment in the region declined by about 800 people year-over-year, the labour force grew by roughly 1,400 people, contributing to the increase in unemployment.
Employment rate remains among province’s lowest
The Moose Jaw-Swift Current region posted an employment rate of 60.1 per cent in August 2026, tied with Yorkton-Melville for the second-lowest rate among Saskatchewan’s economic regions.
Only Prince Albert and Northern Saskatchewan had a lower employment rate, at 59.9 per cent.
The employment rate was down from 61.2 per cent a year earlier. Along with having the highest employment rate in Saskatchewan in August 2025, the region also had the province’s lowest unemployment rate at that time.
The employment rate measures the proportion of the working-age population that is employed, while the unemployment rate measures the share of the labour force actively seeking work.
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Saskatchewan labour market softens
Provincially, Saskatchewan’s unemployment rate rose to 6.4 per cent in August 2026 from 5.3 per cent a year earlier.
The province recorded 628,500 employed people in a labour force of 671,100, leaving 43,200 unemployed.
In August 2025, Saskatchewan had 630,100 employed workers and 35,300 unemployed.
Despite the year-over-year increase in unemployment, Saskatchewan continued to fare better than the national average.
Its 6.4 per cent unemployment rate was lower than Canada’s 6.7 per cent and ranked behind only Manitoba (5.5 per cent), Quebec (5.6 per cent) and Prince Edward Island (6.1 per cent) among provinces.
Saskatchewan’s employment rate stood at 63.8 per cent, tied with Manitoba for third highest in Canada. Alberta led the country at 64.9 per cent, followed by Prince Edward Island at 64.7 per cent.
National picture shows modest improvement
Nationally, Canada’s unemployment rate was 6.7 per cent in August 2026, down from 7.2 per cent a year earlier.
The country recorded 21.4 million employed people in a labour force of 22.9 million, with approximately 1.5 million unemployed.
In August 2025, Canada had 21.1 million employed workers and 1.7 million unemployed.
Canada’s employment rate edged up to 61.5 per cent from 61.4 per cent a year earlier, reflecting modest employment growth at the national level.
Statistics Canada’s labour force estimates are based on three-month rolling averages and are not seasonally adjusted.