Despite the effects of economic downturn on the world stage, the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Alberta have managed to keep their unemploymentrates remarkably low.

Saskatchewan's provincial unemployment rate was 4.1 per cent in January, and Alberta's was 4.4. AlbertaEmployment and Immigration considers an unemployment rate of 5 per cent to be a balanced labour market. Though these provinces have indeed been impacted bycurrent economic events, economists say that they have been faring much better than other regions, and the United States.

"The jobs market in remains among the best in North America," stated an ATB Financial senior economist.

Alberta's two major cities, Calgary and Edmonton, recorded low unemployment rates at 4.1 and 3.8 respectively. The areas of the province with the lowestrates were the Camrose-Drumheller region at 3.1 per cent and the Medicine Hat-Lethbridge region at 4 per cent.