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The devil, and sometimes the gravy, is in the details.
When we get employment numbers each month, it is easy just to look at the StatsCan seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for a quick snapshot of what’s happening in the labour market. But that sells the data short. A good case in point is how the economists at BMO Bank of Montreal have created a ranking of cities and their job creating ability.
The bank ranks Ottawa as No. 1 in job creation. Thank you, federal government. No. 2, perhaps surprisingly, is Edmonton, which has climbed up the list moving 25 positions. Guelph is third, up six spots.
Our numbers are in the middle. Saskatoon stands at No. 14 of the 33 major communities on the BMO listing. That is improvement of 11 places from this time last year. Regina, on the other hand, was heading south – falling from 18 a year ago to 21 in this year’s lineup. Yet, wages are holding up. At more than $24 an hour, our median wage is second highest in the country.
