Year-to-date employment in April 2019 was up over the same period in 2018 in Agriculture (3650), Utilities (400), Manufacturing (1,900), Finance, insurance, real estate and leasing (2,325), Professional, scientific and technical services (1,025), Business, building and other support services (1,500), Educational services (2,675), Health care and social assistance (3,350), Information, culture and recreation (275), Accommodation and food services (2,350), and Other services (1,700).

Year-to-date employment in April 2019 was down in Resource Extraction (-2200), Wholesale and Retail Trade (-4525), Transportation and warehousing (-2350), and Public administration (-625). 

The average year-to-date unemployment rate dropped from 6.4% in April 2018, to 5.7% in April 2019. Year-to-date, the average number of unemployed is down from 38,200 in April 2018 to 34,575 in April 2019 with the majority of these being absorbed into the employed labour force.

Sub sectors that posted increases were: Used car dealers (8.9%), Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers (1.7%), Grocery stores (11.0%), Beer, wine and liquor stores (1.0%), and All other (1.0%).

During the same time period, New car dealers (-10.1%), Gasoline stations (-2.7%), Furniture and home furnishings stores (-11.5%), Electronics and appliance stores (-38.2%), Health and personal care stores (-3.1%), Clothing and clothing accessories stores (-4.4%), Sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores (-0.1%), and General merchandise stores (-0.4%) posted declines.

February 2019 year-to-date wholesale trade was up 9.7% over the same period in 2018. Farm product merchant wholesalers (2.1%) and Food, beverage and tobacco merchant wholesalers (0.8%) all posted increases while Machinery, equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers (-2.4%) and Building material and supplies merchant wholesalers (-5.0%) saw declines.

February 2019 year-to-date new motor vehicle sales were down -0.4% from February year-to-date 2018. New minivans, sport-utility vehicles, light and heavy trucks, vans and buses sales were up 6.1% while New passenger cars sales were down -31.5%.

February 2019 year-to-date restaurant receipts were up 2.3% over the same period in 2018. Within restaurant receipts, Full-service restaurants (3.3%) and Limited-service eating places (3.5%) increased. At the same time, declines were noted in Special food services (-6.7%) and Drinking places (alcoholic beverages) (-7.7%).

Sub sectors that posted increases were: Metal ores and non-metallic minerals (20.3%), Metal and non-metallic mineral products (58.2%), Basic and industrial chemical, plastic and rubber products (5.2%), Industrial machinery, equipment and parts (8.8%), Motor vehicles and parts (1.4%), Aircraft and other transportation equipment and parts (17.2%), Consumer goods (47.4%), and Special transactions (10.5%). 

Sub sectors that posted decreases were: Farm, fishing and intermediate food products (-4.3%), Energy products (-25.2%), Forestry products and building and packaging materials (-15.4%), and Electronic and electrical equipment and parts (-16.1%).

Year-to-date increases were observed in semi-detached (5 units or 15.2%). Year-to-date declines were noted in singles (-102 units or -33.1%), row (-11 units or -10.8%), and apartment and other types (-344 units or -80.8%).

March 2019 year-to-date building permits are down -12.5% over the same period in 2018. Sub sectors that posted increases were limited to industrial (30.3%). During the same time period, residential (-26.2%), commercial (-2%), and institutional and governmental (-17.1%) posted declines.

After a weak performance in 2017, construction employment continued to decline in 2018 and in the first 3 months of 2019. Year-to-date April construction employment was down by 1,225 positions from the same period in 2018 with widespread weakness across the bulk of the construction sector.

February 2019 year-to-date retail trade is down by -2.3% over the same period in 2018. Sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores (-0.1%) posted a decline.

This can be expected to continue through 2019 with a recovering labour market.

Saskatchewan manufacturing sub sectors that posted increases were:

• Food manufacturing sales (24.7%)
• Fabricated metal product manufacturing sales (5.6%)

Sub sectors that posted decreases were:

• Chemical manufacturing sales (-11.0%)
• Machinery manufacturing sales (-6.5%)
• All other Manufacturing sales (-2.8%)