REGINA, Sask. — Once again, Statistics Canada has released its monthly jobs report, and once again the Sask. Party government and opposition NDP have released differing interpretations of what the numbers mean.
It started with an NDP news release headlined “5500 jobs down year over year,” with the NDP stating 5,500 full-time jobs had been lost and that the unemployment rate fell not because people were hired, but because 3,500 people left the labour market.
“Scott Moe’s legacy will be one bad economic decision after another, hurting Saskatchewan workers and the families who rely on those jobs,” said Aleana Young, shadow minister of Jobs and Economy, in a news release.
“He has the worst job creation record in Saskatchewan history, and while he acts tough on social media, he has been totally absent when it comes to supporting workers at risk because of Donald Trump’s tariffs. Instead, he chooses to pass the buck to others because he simply doesn’t care about any job other than his own.”
That statement drew an outraged response from the Government of Saskatchewan.
“The NDP is now flat-out lying in their desperate attempt to run down Saskatchewan,” the government release stated.
“Saskatchewan did not lose jobs over the past year. In September 2026, there were 625,000 people employed, an increase of 2,400 jobs compared to September 2025, according to today's Labour Force Report released by Statistics Canada. As a result, Saskatchewan now has the second lowest unemployment rate in Canada.”
That prompted the NDP to issue a response from Young.
“In a desperate attempt, the Sask. Party is now resorting to lying to Saskatchewan people,” Young said.
“Between September 2025 and 2026, 5,500 full-time jobs were lost. Those are facts. 3,500 people also left the job market in September alone. Don't take our word for it, take Statistics Canada's. If Scott Moe and the Sask. Party were better at math, maybe they wouldn't be the worst economic managers in Saskatchewan's history. It would be nice if Scott Moe was as focused on creating jobs as he is at trying to mislead the people about his failures. Sadly, the only job he gives a single solitary thought about is his own.”
“Wrong again, NDP. Don't let the facts stand in the way of your running down Saskatchewan,” was the immediate response sent out in another statement from the Sask. Party government.
The government release then provided a link to the complete September 2026 Saskatchewan Labour Force Report posted on its website.
“All figures in the report are sourced to Statistics Canada tables. It shows employment up 2,400 in September 2026 compared to September 2025.”
That prompted yet another response from Young.
“Guys, this is embarrassing. The full numbers from Stats Canada without government manipulation shows that 5,500 full-time jobs were lost in Saskatchewan between September 2025 and September 2026. That is a 1.1% reduction in full-time jobs over that same time.”
Young urged the government to “put down the phone, touch grass, re-visit StatsCan and remember who you serve.”
