Looking for work? These Alberta spots saw the biggest gains in jobs in 2023

If you are looking for work in Alberta, data shows that some areas in the province saw some serious gains in jobs compared to others in 2023.

According to numbers from the Alberta Treasury Board and Finance, aggregate annual employment gains were spread across the province in 2023; however, one area led the pack, with Edmonton taking the top spot.

The labour market year-in-review found that YEG added almost 40,000 jobs in 2023, up nearly 5% over the year prior, accounting for almost half of Alberta’s job gains.

Alberta’s non-CMA regions also saw “healthy growth,” particularly in Lethbridge & Medicine Hat, Wood Buffalo, and Alberta’s western regions.

Calgary’s employment also increased with a gain of 23,800 jobs, up 2.5% from the previous year, but it did fall short of the numbers it pulled in 2022 when it added a whopping 63,800 jobs.

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Along with Calgary, annual employment growth was less than 3% in Camrose-Drumheller and Red Deer.

From a provincial lens, employment grew by 85,000, up 3.6% in 2023. Although that is not as strong as employment growth in the post-COVID recovery in 2021 and 2022, it was the highest annual growth since 2011.

Strong gains were spotted in the private and public sectors, in full-time employment, as well as jobs in both the good and services sectors in Alberta.

The review also found that average hourly wages rose 4% to $34.93 in 2023 after two years of muted growth.

“Apart from the pandemic-induced spike in 2020, this was the strongest annual growth in eleven years,” the province said. “Gains were widespread, with 12 of 16 industries posting growth of more than 3%.”

Wage growth was largest in natural resource extraction, the highest-earning sector, jumping by 6.8%.