Saskatoon News October 18, 2012

Saskatchewan Has Too Many Jobs?

Yes, you read the title correctly. Saskatchewan has too many jobs. According to articles printed on Yahoo Finance Canada  And yes, this is enviable to much of the world. Most areas are dealing with overwhelming debt and high unemployment while we are now struggling to find enough workers. Just 5-6 years ago our problem was reversed and we were losing people due to not enough opportunites but now Saskatchewan, and definitely Saskatoon, is facing a different challenge.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate is currently 4.7% which is only second to Alberta and well below the national average of 7.4%. Our resource rich province is creating so many jobs that our government has had to go outside of the continent to recruit more workers. Ireland is just one of the many countries our province has been recruiting from and the long term plan is to increase the population of Saskatchewan by 100,000 by the year 2020. After a long period of decline we have seen our province growing leaps and bounds in the past 6 years. Pretty much the time I got into real estate in Saskatoon so my timing was pretty good.

In the past our province was known mostly for leading Canada in wheat and canola production and with the high prices of grain our farming business has maintained its strength but in 2008 a spike in commodity prices gave our province the ability to further develop our mining and oil resources. With the crude oil production being propelled by new technology that allows it to be brought up from reserves locked in shale rock and our mining industry, namely uranium and potash, our province has attracted billions in new investments. As a REALTOR(r) in Saskatoon I can attest to the investments even from a real estate perspective. I have been dealing with Saskatoon home buyers from companies such as BHP Saskatoon, Potash Corp, etc who are being brought out here to work with our mining sectors.

Just below us the state of North Dakota also boasts a lower than national average unemployment rate at 3% which is likley due to the oil-rich land that they have. So not only is Saskatchewan and Saskatoon growing but also our neighbours to the south.

If you are considering moving to Saskatchewan and need to find a TRUSTED Saskatoon REALTOR(r) check me out online and then call or email me. I do not deal with rental properties but I can help you with a purchase. If you are considering selling your home in Saskatoon I would also be happy to talk to you about the market.

Kari Calder
Saskatoon Real Estate Agent
Century 21 Fusion
kari@saskatoonrealestate.net