The region is seeing a sizable jump in the number of jobs month over month.

That’s according to Statistics Canada’s latest report which notes Wood Buffalo – Cold Lake added around 1,600 spots in April.

This increase brings the region back to the total it ended 2020 with as the first two months of the year saw a drop in positions.

The educational services sector saw the biggest rise, adding roughly 1,000 jobs.

The forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil, and gas sector stayed relatively the same around 19,900 spots, remaining the top provider in the region.

The sector with the biggest loss was finance, insurance, real estate, rental, and leasing. They lost around 400 positions for a second straight month.

Meanwhile, the local unemployment rate dropped to 7.8 per cent.

The provincial rate drops slightly 9.1 per cent, while the federal unemployment rate increased to 8.1 per cent.