Work

‘Employment Rate’ is the percentage of people working from a total number of persons of working age, 15 years and up. ‘Unemployment Rate’ is the percentage of the labour force that is actively seeking work but unable to find it at a given time.

  1. At 68.6% in 2006, Medicine Hat-Lethbridge economic region had an employment rate 9% greater than the national rate but 3% lower than the provincial rate. This was down slightly from the 2005 rate of 70.5%.      

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  2. In 2006 the unemployment rate in Medicine Hat-Lethbridge was 3.0%, the lowest in the 20 year history for which unemployment data is available. This was below both the national level (6.3%) and the Alberta level (3.4%).        

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  3. The number of new business licenses issued in 2006 in Medicine Hat increased 16% from 2005. Total licenses issued were 2,943; 312 licenses were not reissued.        

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  4. Within the Medicine Hat-Lethbridge economic region the average hourly wage in 2005 was $18.78, the provincial average was $21.04.      

    2005 Alberta Wage Survey
      Medicine Hat- Lethbridge Alberta
    Agriculture $13.88 $14.06
    Forestry -- $20.16
    Mining, oil & Gas $18.24 $29.49
    Utilities $24.18 $31.72
    Construction $23.13 $25.85
    Manufacturing $17.44 $19.59
    Wholesale Trade $17.71 $17.75
    Retail Trade $14.67 $15.15
    Transportation & Warehousing $18.21 $18.88
    Info, Culture & Recreation $10.16 $13.22
    Finance, Insurance Real Estate $20.72 $21.80
    Professional, scientific, tech $19.51 $26.78
    Business, Building, other support $14.34 $12.69
    Educational services $20.90 $25.56
    Health care, social assistance $16.57 $17.97
    Accommodation & food services $8.00 $8.71
    Other Services $16.00 $17.01
    Public Admin $28.00 $28.04
    Overall $18.78 $21.04

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    "If we allow wages to be lower than the provincial average we can and will lose qualified members of the workforce to other communities." – Survey Respondent

    Skilled labour shortage –
    Top 10 Alberta Job Vacancy Rates, 2005
    Occupational Group Estimated Job Vacancy Rate Overall Average Hourly Wage Overall Average Annual Salary
    Other professional occupations in physical sciences* 17.7% $40.43 $79,130
    Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters 13.2% $21.37 $44,806
    Oil and Gas Drilling, servicing and related labourers 9.7% $16.63 $46,990
    Food Service supervisors 9.4% $10.01 $16,311
    Glaziers 8.8% $16.17 $33,889
    Cooks 8.6% $10.39 $19,305
    Maitres d’hotel and Hosts/Hostesses 8.3% $7.43 $9,115
    Cashiers 7.8% $10.99 $18,761
    Automotive Service Technicians, Truck mechanics, and mechanical repairers 7.8% $22,47 $48,687
    Other medical technologists and technicians (Except dental health) 7.7% $32.69 $61,047
    * The top vacancy rate of 17.7% was in the category of other professional occupations in physical sciences. This group includes metallurgists, soil scientists and physical science occupations.

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    78% of respondents to the Medicine Hat Quality of Life Study published in April 2007 said that Medicine Hat offers the opportunity to work in the city. This was important to 77% of the respondents.