For the second month in a row, the unemployment rate in southeast Saskatchewan has come down. The latest numbers, released Friday morning by Statistics Canada, show there were approximately 800 new jobs created in the region during the month of March. The new jobs were for the most part, full time jobs.

The unemployment rate drop from 5.2 per cent to 5.1 per cent. The number of people who are unemployed remained relatively steady, with the new jobs coming from people re-entering the labour force. The number of people working, though, is still well below where it was in March of 2016. The numbers are starting to show, though, a recovery from what many called a steep downturn in the economy in southeast Saskatchewan.

Provincially, the unemployment rate remained steady at 6 per cent. Across all of Saskatchewan, there were an estimated 5000 fewer people working, with another 6000 leaving the labour force entirely. There was a little good news provincially, though, as there were 2200 more people working compared to March of last year.

The national unemployment rate crept up in March to 6.7 per cent, up a percentage point. The increase was due to more people starting the search for work as they enter the labour force.