REGINA — In 2025, Saskatchewan’s economy created 15,200 jobs, according to a release issued Friday by the provincial government, the same day Statistics Canada released its jobs report showing the province lost 4,000 jobs last month.
The Saskatchewan government release also said annual labour force numbers indicate the province had the lowest annual unemployment rate among provinces at 5.2 per cent, below the national average of 6.8 per cent, said the release, adding that Saskatchewan was the only province to record a decline in unemployment rate compared to 2024.
The provincial government says in a release that in 2025 Saskatchewan had:
510,600 people in full-time employment;
617,400 people employed; and
651,200 people in the labour force.
The government also says Saskatchewan had the highest employment rate at 63.9 per cent and the second-highest labour force participation amongst provinces at 67.4 per cent. Saskatchewan’s two biggest cities also saw growth this year, said the release. Compared to 2024, Saskatoon’s employment was up 4,000, an increase of 2.0 per cent, and Regina’s employment was up 6,500, an increase of 4.5 per cent.
Industries that saw the largest job gains from 2024 were health care and social assistance, up 9,000; construction, which increased by 5,000, and agriculture, which increased by 1,600, says the government.
Saskatchewan’s Opposition, however, is pointing to statistics from Friday’s Statistics Canada report, saying total employment in the province fell by 4,000 jobs last month — four per cent decline from November 2025.
Saskatchewan suffered the largest percentage decline in jobs of any province in Canada, causing the employment rate to rise to 6.5 per cent and surge to 15 per cent for young people age 15 to 24, the NDP points out.
Last quarter, Saskatchewan’s population declined for the first time in two decades outside of the pandemic, cites the NDP, adding the number of unemployed last month increased by 5,900 to 42,700 people looking for work.
This story has been updated with additional information for clarification.
