Alberta unemployment rises to 7.3% in October, but Calgary's rate falls from a year ago
Alberta lost 24,000 jobs in October, against a national rate of 6.7%, though year-over-year rates in both Alberta and Calgary fell.
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Alberta's economy is stronger than the rest of the country, according to Charles St-Arnauld, chief economist at Servus Credit Union, though he cautioned that the growth is modest and driven largely by population growth rather than a strengthening economy. The comment came as Statistics Canada's October Labour Force Survey showed Alberta's unemployment rate at 7.3%, up from 6.4% in September, while the province lost 24,000 jobs that month. Calgary's rate also rose, from 6.3% in September to 6.6% last month.
The national rate was 6.7%, leaving Alberta 0.6 points above the country. St-Arnauld pointed to Alberta's lower exposure to U.S. tariffs and to confidence supported by higher oil prices, and said the rest of Canada is struggling with tariffs and higher energy costs.
Busuyi Okeowo of Calgary Economic Development called the city's labour market resilient, while noting "signs of near-term softness." Calgary has the lowest unemployment rate and the highest employment rate, 65.8%, among its peer cities. Okeowo credited renewed energy-sector investment and population growth, saying people come to the city because of its opportunities.
The year-over-year picture runs the other way. Alberta's October 2026 rate was down 0.3 points from 7.6% a year earlier, and Calgary's was down 1.2 points from 7.8%.
The next Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey release is the next check on whether October's jump holds.
