Saskatchewan added 5,900 jobs in October as unemployment hit 5.9%

The Government of Saskatchewan says the province added 5,900 jobs in October on a year-over-year basis, but the province’s unemployment rate also rose last month.

Data released Friday by Statistics Canada show the nation losing 4,700 jobs last month, while the national unemployment rate jumped from 6.5 per cent in September up to 6.7 per cent in October.

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In Saskatchewan, the unemployment rate increased from 5.4 per cent in September to 5.9 per cent last month.

The Government of Saskatchewan said year-over-year job growth in the province has been driven by the private sector, particularly in the manufacturing, construction, health care and social assistance fields.

When compared to October of 2025, the province said Regina added 5,300 jobs, while Saskatoon added 400.

“Recently released labour force numbers from Statistics Canada show that Saskatchewan’s labour market remains strong, thanks to our strong, steady economy,” Eric Schmalz, Saskatchewan’s minister of immigration and career training, said in a statement.

“As Saskatchewan continues to attract record investment to build our economy, our government is investing in training and development programs to help prepare our workforce for further opportunities ahead.”

While Saskatchewan’s unemployment remains significantly lower than the Canadian average, the province’s GDP is also growing at a faster rate than the national average.

“Statistics Canada’s latest real GDP data shows the province’s economy increased by 3.1 per cent last year, outpacing the national average of 1.9 per cent,” the provincial government noted.

“In August 2026, the value of manufacturing sales in Saskatchewan had the third highest year-over-year growth among provinces at 32.2 per cent, compared to the national increase of 14.2 per cent.”

— with files from The Canadian Press