The latest job numbers released by Statistics Canada show there were fewer people working across southeast Saskatchewan in December when compared to November. 

The Regina-Moose Mountain economic region, which includes Weyburn, Estevan and Regina, as well as a number of other communities, had 2600 fewer people employed last month, compared to the previous month. This had the unemployment rate for the area increase from 5.1 percent to 5.9 percent. These numbers were not adjusted for seasonality. 

Provincially, the unemployment rate went up as well, jumping from 6.9 percent to 7.8. It is the third-lowest unemployment rate in the country, however, behind only Quebec and British Columbia.  

Nationally, the economy lost 63,000 jobs, with the unemployment rate going from 8.5 to 8.6 percent.