December 02, 2005

Industry, Economic Development and Mines Minister Jim Rondeau announced today that Manitoba’s unemployment rate dropped to 4.2 per cent in November.

The drop is the second largest in the country and is better than the national average, Statistics Canada reported today. Manitoba continues to have the second-lowest unemployment rate in the country after 4.1 per cent in Alberta. The report adds that an additional 7,000 new private-sector jobs were created in the last 12 months. Total employment increased by 3,100 in November.

“The Manitoba Advantage works and Manitobans are working as a result. The low cost of living and doing business in Manitoba is making the province an attractive place to invest,” said Rondeau. “And the future looks bright with a number of new projects that will add considerably more employment. This includes the construction of the new $258-million Manitoba Hydro head office, the Red River Floodway expansion, the $569‑million upgrading of the Winnipeg airport facilities, the $50-million investment at McGillivray and Kenaston by Hopewell Development and the $30-million Biovail expansion in Steinbach.”

The province has performed well in other areas as well. The youth unemployment rate in November was 7.6 per cent, the third lowest in Canada and well below the national average of 11.4 per cent. Manitoba’s youth unemployment rate has not been this low since 1976.

The minister noted the number of unemployed Manitobans has declined by more than 18 per cent since November 2004. This is a considerable improvement over the national decrease of 11 per cent and represents the second-best provincial performance.

Winnipeg’s November unemployment rate was 3.8 per cent, which gives the city the lowest unemployment rate among the 11 largest cities in Canada.

- 30 -