Battlefords MLA Jeremy Cockrill (File photo/battlefordsNOW)

By Lane Hoffart

Sask. Job Growth

MLA Cockrill: Saskatchewan sees national best employment rate

Sep 17, 2025 | 1:22 PM

August was a month of job growth for Saskatchewan. The province added 16,100 new jobs and the unemployment rate decreased to 4.7 per cent, while the national rate increased to 7.1 per cent. Saskatchewan had the lowest unemployment rate among all of the provinces.

MLA for the Battlefords Jeremy Cockrill recently gave a press conference where he discussed the increase in jobs that happened last month, both in his constituency and across the province.

“Really encouraging results province-wide. When you look at the Battlefords specifically, we kind of belong to the Prince Albert and northern area, and so again, another 1,000 jobs [were] added in the geographic subset that we belong to in the Battlefords. So really encouraging results. Every area of the province saw job growth, Regina, Saskatoon, and obviously right here in the Battlefords as well.”

Cockrill said that the increase in jobs comes from a worldwide demand for Saskatchewan’s products and resources, even amidst a time of trade turbulence.

“We know that there’s challenging trade winds and challenging trade relationships out there right now, but at the end of the day, if you’re a farmer, if you’re a producer anywhere in the world, you’re going to need potash. If you need to turn the lights on in the morning, chances are you’re going to need some form of energy. And we produce, obviously, our oil and gas products, but also increasingly so uranium products through companies like Cameco and Orano. And that’s not even to mention, we’re in harvest right now.”

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Along with private sector jobs, Cockrill said that the number of jobs in public industries like healthcare has also increased.

“One of the most significant areas of job growth that we’ve seen year over year is healthcare and social assistance. 12.8 per cent, added another 12,000 jobs over the last year in that space.”

“I think that really speaks to the fact that because we’re investing more in healthcare, we’re creating more job opportunities, whether that’s in the Battlefords or in Saskatoon or Regina or really in any community around the province.”

While the number of full-time jobs increased, part-time jobs fell, largely due to part time positions becoming full-time. Cockrill said that the conversion of jobs to full-time will attract people to Saskatchewan long-term.

“Part-time jobs do play an important role in our economy, whether that’s for students or people at different stages in their career. But I think the reality is when we talk about attracting new people to our province, making sure that new graduates or new people at a high school or university or any educational institution have an opportunity to live, or make a living in our communities. You need that full-time job.”

“Credit to the job creators in our community for continuing to take risks, invest in our community, hire local people, and then obviously make sure that our economy keeps rolling.”

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lane.hoffart@pattisonmedia.com