Workforce Composition by Status

In the most recent month, Full-time Employment increased by 1,300 jobs from last month and increased by 4,200 jobs compared to the same month last year.

Part-time Employment decreased by 300 jobs from last month and decreased by 1,600 jobs year-over-year.

The number of Unemployed individuals increased by 200 people from the previous month and increased by 1,000 people compared to last year.

Employment, Unemployment, and Participation Rate

The Employment Rate increased by 1.1 percentage points from a year ago.

The Unemployment Rate increased by 0.9 percentage points from a year ago.

The Participation Rate increased by 2 percentage points year-over-year.

Jobs Added or Lost by Month

Employment levels increased by 1,100 jobs from the previous month and increased by 2,500 jobs compared to the same month last year.

In the most recent month, employment increased by 1,100 jobs . Over the last year, the labor market has increased by 2,500 jobs .

Top 3 Industries in Goods Sector

• Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas : 19,600 workers.
• Construction : 6,800 workers.
• Agriculture : 0 workers.
• Utilities : 0 workers.
• Manufacturing : 0 workers.

The Goods sector is mainly driven by industries such as Construction, Manufacturing, and Agriculture, which together account for a substantial share of the workforce.

Top 3 Industries in Services Sector

• Wholesale and retail trade : 11,200 workers.
• Health care and social assistance : 8,000 workers.
• Educational services : 5,700 workers.

In the Services sector, Health Care, Retail, and Professional Services lead employment, representing a dominant portion of the workforce.

Top 5 Industries by Change from Previous Month

• Business, building and other support services : Change of 600 workers ( decreased by 19.35 %).
• Accommodation and food services : Change of 600 workers ( increased by 15.79 %).
• Public administration : Change of 600 workers ( increased by 12 %).
• Wholesale and retail trade : Change of 400 workers ( increased by 3.7 %).
• Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing : Change of 400 workers ( decreased by 12.9 %).

These industries saw the largest month-over-month changes, indicating short-term trends.

Top 5 Industries by Change from Same Month Last Year

• Wholesale and retail trade : Change of 2,600 workers ( increased by 30.23 %).
• Educational services : Change of 2,400 workers ( decreased by 29.63 %).
• Construction : Change of 2,200 workers ( decreased by 24.44 %).
• Public administration : Change of 2,000 workers ( increased by 55.56 %).
• Accommodation and food services : Change of 1,700 workers ( increased by 62.96 %).

The year-over-year changes provide insights into longer-term shifts, highlighting industries that have grown or declined significantly.

Conclusion

The overall employment trend is positive, with strong growth in the past year. Key industries driving the trend are: Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas, Construction, Wholesale and retail trade, Educational services, Health care and social assistance.

Employment Trends

Total employment in April 2025 was 7,840, showing a slight decrease of 0. in contrast to April, employment levels dropped by 250, facing headwinds.

Employment Rate Dynamics

The employment rate reached 57.0% in April 2025. This represents a decline of 0.0 percentage points from March (57.0%). Year-over-year, the rate decreased by 1.7 percentage points from 58.7%.

Unemployment Rate Trends

The unemployment rate was 7.2% in April 2025, up 0.5 percentage points from March. Compared to April last year (6.4%), the rate has increased by 0.8 percentage points.

Employment: Regional vs Local Patterns

The moderate correlation (0.44) between regional and local employment levels indicates some alignment in employment trends. This suggests that local employment partially reflects regional patterns.

Employment Rate: Regional vs Local Patterns

Employment rates show a moderate correlation (0.57) between regional and local levels. This shows moderate similarity in workforce engagement, suggesting that there are some shared labor market influences.

Unemployment Rate: Regional vs Local Patterns

The unemployment rate correlation of -0.37 shows a weak relationship. This points to distinct local unemployment dynamics, indicating that local unemployment follows its own distinct pattern.

Lac la Biche County consists of the following communities: Smoky Lake County, Vilna, Waskatenau, Smoky Lake, Lac la Biche County, Improvement District No. 349, Beaver Lake 131, Heart Lake 167, Athabasca County, Mewatha Beach, Boyle, Sunset Beach, Athabasca, Island Lake, Island Lake South, Bondiss, South Baptiste, West Baptiste, Whispering Hills .