Employment growth in Alberta was, once again, uneven in April.

Seasonally-adjusted employment in the goods-producing sector edged down by 0.3% (1,400 positions) while employment in the services-producing sector increased by 1.0% (17,500).

Agriculture was the only part of the goods-producing economy to add workers in April. The 4.0% (1,300) jump, however, still left employment in the sector 31.0% (15,200) shy of its pre-pandemic level. The reduced availability of temporary foreign workers during the pandemic helps explain the shortfall.

It’s lumped in with forestry and mining, so we don’t have a specific number for employment in the oil and gas extraction sector. Despite this, it’s clear that the spike in oil prices in March and April did not translate into a major rise in oil and gas jobs. Employment in the combined forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, and oil and gas category contracted in April by 0.8% (1,200), but was 1.0% (1,400) above where it was at the start of the year.

In terms of the number of jobs added in April, the wholesale and retail trade sector tops the list with an increase of 11,200 positions. This works out to a 3.0% rise compared to employment in the sector in March. The health care and social assistance sector was in second place, adding 4,500 jobs (+1.4%).

Out of the 16 main industries under consideration, six had employment levels that were still below their pre-pandemic benchmarks: agriculture (-31.0%), utilities (-27.0%), manufacturing (-10.1%), other services (-16.9%), accommodation and food services (-12.2%), and information, culture and recreation (-2.3%).

Answer to the previous trivia question: About 26,000 extras worked on the “Lord of the Rings” movie trilogy over its five years of filming.

Today’s trivia question: Which international song contest that has been held every year since 1956 takes place in May?