While other provinces have seen their unemployment rates drop over the past year, Saskatchewan is one of only two provinces whose unemployment rates have grown.
“Instead of investing in training, creating jobs, and diversifying the economy, the Sask. Party has thrown people out of work with their callous cuts, desperate sell-offs, and unfair tax hikes that have hurt job-creating small businesses and industries,” said NDP Leader Trent Wotherspoon. “The Sask. Party have already cut close to a thousand jobs in health care, education and social assistance, but more job losses are coming and the Sask. Party’s cuts are still growing.”
In May of 2016, 35,800 Saskatchewan people were looking for work. That number rose to 39,000 by May of 2017. During the same period, the unemployment rate rose from 5.8 per cent to 6.3 per cent. Wotherspoon noted that those numbers will continue to rise with the 224 people thrown out of work by the Sask. Party’s sell-off of STC and the hundreds of other workers whose jobs have been put on the chopping block by the Sask. Party.
At 20 per cent, the First Nations unemployment rate is unacceptably high and hurts many families while the unemployment rate for those living on-reserve is even worse.
“The Sask. Party’s mismanagement, scandal and waste are costing Saskatchewan people jobs across the province and the most vulnerable are being hit the hardest,” Wotherspoon said. “No matter how much the Sask. Party try to spin the statistics the fact is, this year, thousands more people are struggling to find work to keep a roof over their families’ heads and put food on their tables.”
Other sectors with noteworthy job losses compared to last year include:
- 4,300 jobs lost in Agriculture
- 2,500 jobs lost in forestry, fishing, mining, oil and gas
- 1,500 jobs lost in health care and social assistance