The unemployment rate in the Cariboo region is as low as its been since July of 2019.
Vincent Ferrao, a Labour Market Analyst with Stats Canada, says the jobless rate in April was 6.1 percent, down from 6.8 last month, and 9.9 percent a year ago at this time.
Ferrao says there were about 8,500 more people working in the region.
“The data from this morning shows that employment in the Cariboo is at 86,100 people in April. That’s little change from March but it is up from a year ago. A year ago employment fell steeply at the start of the pandemic. So in April of 2020 we had 77,600 people.”
Ferrao says most of the increases in jobs were in the service industry.
“Mostly in healthcare and social assistance as well as educational services. Also a little bit in all levels of public administration. Apart from services, there was a bit of an increase in construction.”
The Cariboo’s unemployment rate was below Canada’s at 8.1 percent and BC’s at 7.1
BC has the third lowest rate in the country behind both Saskatchewan and Quebec at 6.6 percent.
Newfoundland and Labrador had the highest jobless rate at 13.9 percent.
Ontario and Alberta were at 9 percent.