Labour force

According to Statistics Canada’s census data, the South West Region’s employment rate1 for the working age population of 15 years and older was 63.4% in 2006 and the participation rate2 was 66.1%. By comparison, Alberta’s employment and participation rates were 70.8% and 73.4%, respectively in 2006.

Between 2001 and 2006, the number of people employed in Alberta grew by 14.7% or by 239,800.  Over the same period, employment in the South West region grew by an estimated 800 or 4.3%.  In 2006, the South West Region made up 1.2% of Alberta’s working age population (15+ years), and the region’s increase in employment between 2001 and 2006 accounted for 0.3% of all new jobs created in Alberta over that period.   

Note: Statistics Canada cautions the reader that the regional labour force data may be subject to large year-to-year fluctuations, especially for the smaller regions, Because of these data problems, Census data for 2001 and 2006 were used for all indicators for the smaller regions such as the South West Region and data for these indicators for the other years are not included.

According to the 2006 census, the level of educational attainment is lower for this region than for Alberta. For the working aged population of between 25 and 64 years, 38.0% had a post-secondary degree or diploma, compared with 48.1% for all of Alberta.  However, the region does have a larger share holding a trades certificate: 14.1% in the region vs. 12.4% in Alberta.  22.1% of the region’s working age population did not finish high school, higher than the Alberta average of 15.4%.

Employment Insurance Beneficiaries

In 2010, 480 people received regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits3 in the South West region, a 4% increase from the 2009 total of 460 4.  Over the same period, the number of EI recipients fell by 9% in Alberta.   As a result, the region’s share of Alberta EI recipients rose to 1.0%.  Between February 2010 and February 2011, the number of regular beneficiaries fell by an estimated 15% in the region.

The total number of income beneficiaries5 with both regular and special benefits, such as for sickness or parental leave, also rose by 4% between 2009 and 2010.

Note: although this measure provides a useful gauge of unemployment it is an imperfect measure, as it excludes self-employed workers and individuals who were unemployed for more than 12 months.  At the Canadian level, the EI beneficiaries-to-unemployed ratio was fairly stable over time prior to the recession at between 40% and 45%. In Alberta, the ratio fell gradually during the economic boom years from more than 40% in 1996 to less than 25% in 2007 and the first nine months of 2008.  The ratio climbed to more than 40% in 2009 and was 36% in 2010.

Employment by Industry

In 2006, according to Statistics Canada’s census, the services-producing sector in the South West Region accounted for 61% of the total number employed. By comparison, the service sector accounted for 72% of Alberta’s employment. 

The Agriculture and Forestry industry employed the largest number of individuals. This industry is dominated by crop and animal production.  The South West Region accounted for 1.0% of total Alberta employment, but for 6.6% of Alberta employment in this industry. This industry is followed by the Health Care and Social Assistance industry and the Retail Trade industry.

Between 2001 and 2006, the largest employment gains (up about 200 each) were registered in four industries. These industries are Mining and Oil and Gas, Construction, Professional Scientific and Technical Services and Accommodation and Food Services industries. Employment in Healthcare and Social Assistance (the region’s second largest industry in 2006) fell by 100 over the same period.


1 The employment rate measures the proportion of the adult population that is employed. Employment Rate = (Employed / Population 15+)*100. High labour utilization traditionally accompanies strong economic activity.
2 The participation rate measures the proportion of the adult population that is in the labour force. Participation Rate = (Labour Force / Population 15+)*100. High labour participation is an effective indicator of the level of engagement among the working age population and traditionally accompanies strong economic activity.
3 The number of beneficiaries receiving regular benefits excludes claimants receiving training, job creation and self-employment benefits as well as other employment and support measures benefits.
4 Some of this increase was the result of Canada’s Economic Action Plan providing beneficiaries with five extra weeks of regular EI benefits in 2009 and 2010.
5 The number of beneficiaries receiving total income benefits includes both the beneficiaries receiving regular benefits and those receiving special benefits, such as for training, job creation, sickness, parental.


Date Updated:
RDP-2492