StatsCan: Drayton Valley statistical area sees lowest unemployment in Alberta at 4.9 per cent

Not only did the unemployment rate in the Drayton Valley area drop last month, but it continues to have — by far — the lowest unemployment rate in Alberta.

According to the latest Labour Force Survey from Statistics Canada, the Banff-Jasper-Rocky Mountain House and Athabasca-Grande Prairie-Peace River region posted an unemployment rate of 4.9 per cent in May, down from 5.3 per cent in April.

The region’s unemployment rate was also the lowest among Alberta’s seven statistical regions — 1.8 percentage points lower than second-place Red Deer, which recorded a rate of 6.7 per cent.

Across the province, the Lethbridge-Medicine Hat region saw unemployment rise from 7.4 per cent in April to 7.6 per cent in May. The Wood Buffalo-Cold Lake region improved slightly but still recorded the province’s highest unemployment rate at eight per cent.

In the two big cities, Edmonton improved slightly to 7.4 per cent, while Calgary increased from 6.9 per cent to 7.2 per cent month-over-month.

Provincewide, Alberta’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.6 per cent in May, down 0.4 percentage points from April and down 0.8 percentage points from May 2025.

Alberta’s unemployment rate was tied with the national rate of 6.6 per cent and ranked as the fourth lowest among the provinces.

Alberta’s labour force grew by 1,800 people in May to 2.86 million. Employment increased in both the public and private sectors, led by gains in construction, health care and social assistance, and information, culture and recreation.

Canada-wide