A rise in the participation rate combined with a drop in full-time employment saw Alberta’s unemployment rate tick up slightly in September. While still low, the unemployment rate was 5.5% in September compared to 5.4% in August.

The opposite happened in Canada as a whole with lower labour force participation helping the unemployment rate fall from 5.4% in August to 5.2% in September. Both full-time and part-time employment increased, albeit only slightly. Total employment in Canada rose by just 0.1%.

The total number of people employed in Alberta rose by 0.5% (10,800) in September. Full-time employment decreased by 0.7% (13,100) while part-time employment increased by 5.6% (24,000).

The number of unemployed Albertans increased by 2.2% (3,000) compared to August.

Employment in Alberta’s information, culture and recreation sector pulled back the most with 10,400 fewer workers in September than in August. Primary agriculture employment fell by 3,300, public administration employment by 5,600 and forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, and oil and gas employment by 2,400.

Employment increased in 11 sectors with professional, scientific and technical services adding the most workers (9,500) followed by construction (5,400) and wholesale and retail (4,000).

Answer to the previous trivia question: Saudi Arabia exported US$161.7 billion worth of crude oil in 2021 (the highest amount of any crude oil exporting country).

Today’s trivia question: What was the U.S. dollar value of Canada’s crude oil exports in 2021?