In a recent interview with CBC News, Alberta Central Chief Economist spoke about the recent labour market data and the trends he sees unfolding.
“It’s still a labour market that’s very healthy, but we’re probably done most of the easy gains that are mainly coming from normalisation post-pandemic,” said Charles St-Arnaud, chief economist at Alberta Central, trade association for the province’s credit unions.
Unemployment is the lowest it’s been in seven years, he added.
Over the past few months a lot of those jobs gains were linked to the service sector, he said, with increases in food and accommodation industries, and transportation.
There have been some setbacks in the manufacturing sector — every goods-producing industry saw a small decline in April, with the exception of agriculture, he said.
Those losses are “nothing that is concerning yet,” but something St-Arnaud said he will be watching in coming months.