“The numbers don’t lie. Since Scott Moe came to office exactly 6 years ago, the Sask. Party has been worse at creating jobs than every other provincial government in Canada,” said Official Opposition Jobs and Economy Critic Aleana Young. “Saskatchewan shouldn’t be last.”
Premier Scott Moe came to office in February 2018. From February 2018 to February 2024, Saskatchewan increased total employment by only 6.7%. That’s the worst rate of job growth in Canada over this period, according to Statistics Canada.
Over the same time period, Prince Edward Island’s job creation rate was over three times as big (20.6%) and Nova Scotia's was over twice as big (15.1%) as Saskatchewan’s (6.7%). Under Scott Moe, Saskatchewan also trailed Alberta (11.6%), Manitoba (8.9%), British Columbia (10.0%), Ontario (10.6%), Quebec (7.1%) and New Brunswick (8.7%) in terms of the rate of job creation.
The rate of job creation for women during Moe’s time in office is 6.4%, also the worst in Canada:
|
Women Workers – Employment Growth Rate
|
|
Province
|
Feb 18 to Feb 24 (%)
|
|
Prince Edward Island
|
16.9%
|
|
Nova Scotia
|
14.4%
|
|
Alberta
|
13.5%
|
|
Ontario
|
10.3%
|
|
Manitoba
|
10.1%
|
|
British Columbia
|
9.4%
|
|
Quebec
|
7.5%
|
|
New Brunswick
|
6.9%
|
|
Newfoundland & Labrador
|
6.9%
|
|
Saskatchewan
|
6.4%
|
The latest employment figures show that in Prince Albert and Northern Saskatchewan total employment decreased by 1,900 jobs last month (-1.9%), decreased by 2,400 jobs year-over-year (-2.4%), and decreased by 3,000 jobs since Scott Moe became premier in February 2018 (-3.0%).
And despite a bump in employment last month, the Swift Current-Moose Jaw economic area saw a decrease of 3,200 jobs year-over-year (-5.9%), and a decrease of 600 jobs since Scott Moe became premier in February 2018 (-1.2%).
“Saskatchewan has the resources, the work ethic, all the ingredients to boom. This province should be moving forward,” said Young. “Sadly, for far too many folks, it feels like we’re spinning our tires.”
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