By Adriana Christianson

Saskatchewan leads in job growth among Canadian provinces

Nov 7, 2014 | 5:23 PM

Saskatchewan continues to lead the country when it comes to job creation, adding 14,000 full time and 5,700 part time jobs compared to last October.

“(It’s) the greatest employment growth in the entire country by an entire per cent at 3.5 per cent. I think Alberta was at 2.5 per cent,” commented Jeremy Harrison, Saskatchewan’s Associate Minister for the Economy.

The food services and hotel industry added 5,400 jobs while construction gained 5,100 jobs. There were also major gains in forestry, mining, oil and gas which are up by 3,600 jobs year over year. Harrison says growth by industry tends to fluctuate.

“What we have seen is a steady increase in job growth right across the province,” he said.

“Year over year 19,000 more people working here in the province really speaks to the strength of the economy and how well things really are going.”

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Cyclone Metal Products in Regina is part of that job growth. Mark Soucy is part-owner of the custom manufacturing shop which employees 15 skilled welders at the apprenticeship and journeymen level. Since opening in 1996 the company has doubled in size to keep up with demand for products sold to a wide range of industries from agriculture to mining, forestry, oil and gas.

At Cyclone Metal Products. Adriana Christianson/CJME

“This wouldn’t have been possible 10 years ago. We had the small facility. We were able to expand it and we’re looking at another expansion. We want to double the size again,” Soucy commented.

He says people know there is a lot of work in the province and they get a lot of applications from all over the place.  One of the workers immigrated from Korea and another moved here from Toronto for a job.

“It’s nice to see that people are coming back so they come to us and they’re looking for work so we’re more than happy to supply them with a job,” Soucy said.

The provincial unemployment rate has been the lowest in the country for 23 months straight and remained steady at 3.5 per cent.

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