The employment prospects across the West varied widely in 2015, with British Columbia enjoying the greatest gains and Alberta suffering the biggest losses.
B.C.’s stellar year saw a 51,600 job gain, or 2.3%. The 55 years of age and over group gained the most jobs over the year. Part-time job growth is also on the rise in B.C., with 34,300 part-time jobs created compared to 17,400 full-time jobs.
The 25 to 54 years of age group did not fare as well. That sector lost 21,700 full-time jobs and picked up 23,100 part-time jobs. As a large commodity producer, B.C. lost jobs in the natural resources sector but also in the important tourism-related, accommodation and food services sector.
Job gains were mostly in the manufacturing; information and culture; and business and building services sectors, with a large gain in health care and social assistance. Even though B.C. had the best showing in job growth, the unemployment rate jumped from 5.5% in December 2014 to 6.7% at the end of the year.
Alberta, not surprisingly, fared the worst of the four provinces, losing 14,600 jobs over the last 12 months. Full-time jobs lost totaled 44,000, compared to the 29,500 part-time jobs created.
Alberta has a younger employee profile than the other western provinces. There are more people in the 25 to 54 years of age group (68% of total employment) compared to each of the other western provinces at 64%.
But the most affected employee group in 2015 was the 15 to 24 years age group who lost 43,300 full-time jobs but gained the most part-time jobs (22,300). The unemployment rate in Alberta rose from a low 4.7% in December 2014 to 7.0% in December 2015, close to Canada’s unemployment rate of 7.1%.
Saskatchewan scraped by with a modest gain of 100 jobs in 2015 after suffering job losses across the natural resources and related sectors. Large gains in health care and social assistance and information, culture and recreation saved the day. Overall, 600 full-time jobs were lost, occurring mostly in the 55 years of age and over group. Part-time jobs were up by 700. The unemployment rate at the end of 2015 in Saskatchewan was 5.5%, remaining the lowest across Canada.
Manitoba continued on its steady course picking up 200 jobs in 2015. Over the year, 8,300 full-time jobs were lost for a 1.6% decrease over the year, with employees 54 years and below feeling the pain of the job losses. Part-time jobs increased by 8,500 or 7.1% with all age groups benefiting from these employment opportunities.
The greatest number of job losses were in finance, insurance, real estate and leasing; and transportation and warehousing. The largest job gains were in professional, scientific and technical services; and business, building services and other support services. Unemployment in Manitoba at the end of 2015 was 5.9%, creeping up from December 2014’s rate of 5.4%.
– Janice Plumstead is a Senior Economist
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