Alberta unemployment rate climbs above national average in April

Alberta’s unemployment rate rose sharply in April, climbing above the national average as more residents across the province searched for work.

New figures released Friday by Statistics Canada in its April 2026 Labour Force Survey show Alberta’s unemployment rate increased to seven per cent last month, up from 6.5 per cent in March. Nationally, the unemployment rate stood at 6.9 per cent.

Among Alberta’s major cities, Edmonton recorded the highest unemployment rate in the province, jumping to 7.1 per cent in April from 6.5 per cent the previous month.

Meanwhile, Calgary saw its unemployment rate remain steady at 6.7 per cent, showing little change compared with March.

In Red Deer, unemployment was relatively stable at 6.2 per cent in April, compared with 6.3 per cent a month earlier.

Lethbridge was the only major Alberta city to post an improvement, with its unemployment rate dipping to 5.7 per cent from six per cent in March.