REGINA – It continues to be a good news versus bad news reaction by Saskatchewan’s major political parties to the latest jobs numbers released by Statistics Canada for July 2026.
The Sask Party government was spinning the “good news” side on Friday, pointing to Saskatchewan's unemployment rate being the third lowest amongst provinces at six per cent, and below the national average of 6.4 per cent.
They pointed to Saskatchewan having added 2,600 jobs year to date an increase of 0.4 per cent compared to the same period last year. They also pointed to growth in the private sector with 10,300 jobs being added, up 2.7 per cent from July 2025. And they pointed to gains of 4,600 jobs in construction, up 9.1 per cent from last July, and year over year gains in accommodation and food services up 4,200, and in finance, insurance, real estate and leasing up 2,000.
"Recently released numbers from Statistics Canada show that Saskatchewan's economy is strong," Immigration and Career Training Minister Eric Schmalz said in a news release.
"Our government is committed to supporting employment training, workforce development and programs that help people find work. This ensures we have the labour force to support the economy of today and the future."
By contrast, the NDP once again painted a picture of gloom about the numbers.
They pointed to Saskatchewan having lost 2,900 full-time jobs in July, and to youth unemployment hitting 12.4 per cent.
The NDP also pointed to employment going down by 400 in Swift Current-Moose Jaw, by 2,900 in Yorkton-Melville and 3,400 in Prince Albert and Northern Saskatchewan.
Sally Housser, Energy and Resources and SaskEnergy critic for the NDP, said the trends were particularly concerning.
One of Housser's concerns was what was happening "in our smaller urban centres, seeing major job losses particularly like in Prince Albert, and that region already suffering with 117 jobs (lost) in the forestry sector,” pointing in particular to the curtailment at the Big River sawmill.
Housser also said she was concerned about youth unemployment trending up, “particularly in the dead of the summer months, where normally in an economy that's going well, you see retail, restaurants, bars, parks, community centres, all doing their summer hiring, typically of youth. So to see that youth unemployment trending up in these months, I think, should be particularly worrying.”
But even on these numbers, both the government and Opposition clashed in their depictions of the job situation in the province.
While the NDP raised concerns about smaller urban centres including Prince Albert seeing losses, the government release was touting gains in Regina, with employment up 5,400 or 3.5 per cent since July 2025.
The Sask Party government also had a contrasting depiction of the youth employment situation. Their release noted youth (age 15-24) employment went up in July with 1,500 jobs added year-over-year, up 1.6 per cent. They also pointed to core working age (age 25-54) employment growing by 3,900 jobs, up one per cent.
Housser dismissed the government’s positive portrayals of the job situation in speaking to Sask Today.
"Well, you know, the Sask Party will continue to tell people in Saskatchewan that they've never had it so good, it's never been more affordable, and the economy's never been better,” said Housser.
But beyond the actual data, Housser pointed to “what people are actually experiencing and living in real time, what they see in their bank account, what they see in their household budget, when they see their kids not being able to get a summer job… “
“And so I think it's just really disrespectful to the people who are living in real time, not being able to find a job, losing their jobs, and everything getting more expensive. I think it's insulting."
