We often talk about how the economy in this part of Canada varies from other regions, notably central Canada where manufacturing is the foundational industry. Ours is commodities.
A new report from the economists at RBC Royal Bank offers a very good illustration of those differences for working people.
Saskatchewan has the lowest unemployment rate in the country these days – under 5-percent. Locally, Regina’s unemployment rate sits at 4.9-percent and Saskatoon’s at 4.6. But go to southern Ontario and the rates are closer to 10-percent, double the rate out here.
Toronto is running at just under 9-percent, Peterborough at 10-percent and Windsor is higher than 11-percent.
And the trends are headed in opposite directions. Saskatchewan’s unemployment levels have been falling all year… Ontario’s have been rising over that period, dumping 45,000 positions so far in 2025. It also turns out that older workers are having the hardest time holding a job as goods producing industries such as manufacturing tend to have a disproportionately high number of workers over the age of 45.
