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An improving labour market is having a positive effect on the number of job openings in Alberta.

According to Statistics Canada data released Thursday, job vacancies rose by 3,600 positions to 43,000 in the first quarter of 2017 compared to a year earlier — a 9.3 per cent increase.

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This is the first year-over-year increase for Alberta in the number of job vacancies and the first jump in the job vacancy rate since the first quarter of 2015 when this data was first collected by Statistics Canada. Alberta was one of six provinces to see a gain in job vacancies spurred by stronger economic conditions, following declines in 2015 and 2016.

A rise in openings for full-time positions accounted for 59 per cent of the year-over-year increase in total job vacancies.

Calgary saw the largest year-over-year number of increased vacancies with 1,700, although there was little change in Edmonton, said Myriam Hazel, a senior analyst with Statistics Canada.