Northeast B.C. records 3.8% unemployment rate in August

Northeast B.C.’s unemployment decreased to 3.8 per cent in August.

There were 37,900 northeast residents employed in August, a slight increase from the 37,100 employed in July.

Last August, 35,900 were employed in the region and the unemployment rate was 4.8 per cent.

B.C.’s unemployment rate rose 0.3 percentage points to 5 per cent from 4.7 per cent in July.

“To help meet our province’s needs, we are urging the federal government to expand the number of skilled immigrants coming through the B.C. Provincial Nominee Program from 7,000 in 2022 to 10,000 by 2025,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation, in a statement last month.

“This will help address our labour shortage and ensure British Columbians can receive the services they count on.”

Nationally, the jobless rate had a slight increase to 5.3 per cent.