Employment rates rose locally and provincially in June but fell nationally

Statistics Canada reports employment rates rose both locally and provincially in June, but fell nationally, marking the first decline since January.

The unadjusted labour force statistics for the Thompson – Okanagan economic region, which includes Vernon and the North Okanagan, show the employment rate was 59.6 per cent and the unemployment rate was 5.8 per cent in June.

The employment rate represents a 1.5 per cent monthly increase and a 4 per cent annual increase. The unemployment rate represents a 0.4 per cent decline from May and a 0.7 per cent decrease since June 2021.

The adjusted figures for British Columbia show the provincial employment rate was 62.1 per cent and the unemployment rate was 4.6 per cent.

B.C.’s numbers represent a 0.1 per cent monthly increase and a 0.8 per cent annual growth in employment. The unemployment rate shows a 0.1 per cent increase on a month-over-month basis but a decrease of 1.8 per cent from June 2021.

“As we mark the halfway point of 2022, our province continues to lead Canada’s economic recovery with strong, clean and inclusive growth. B.C. gained 6,100 new jobs in June, the most of any province in Canada,” said Ravi Kahlon, B.C.’s Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation.

“In the month of June, we saw renewed confidence with full-time employment up, gains in self-employment and an increase in our labour force, while most other provinces saw reductions. Our unemployment rate held steady at 4.6 per cent, a significant improvement from 6.4 per cent one year ago.”

StatCan did not provide adjusted figures for Vernon but did have stats from Kelowna, where the employment rate was 59.9 per cent and unemployment was 4 per cent. Those figures represent a 0.2 per cent month-over-month growth in employment and a 0.5 per cent monthly decline in unemployment.

Meanwhile, Canada as a whole saw employment drop for the first time since January of 2022 to 61.9 per cent, a decrease of 0.2 per cent monthly. StatsCan said the loss was almost entirely due to a decrease among workers aged 55 and older.

The national unemployment rate also fell 0.2 per cent on a month-over-month basis in June, reaching a record low of 4.9 per cent.

The national average hourly wage also rose to $31.24 in June, marking a 3.9 per cent monthly increase.

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