Northeast BC unemployment too low to report in December

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — December marked the seventh time unemployment rates for Northeast B.C. were too low to report in 2022, according to a recent labour force survey.

However, the number of residents employed in the region increased by 100 jobs in December 2022 at 37,300 compared to November.

In December 2021, 37,800 northeast residents were employed, and the unemployment rate in the region was too low to report — one of two times in 2021.

According to Statistics Canada, unemployment data in the region was “suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act” in January, February, March, September, October, November, and December of 2022.

The act states that data below 1,500 unemployed people is suppressed “to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data. Consequently, geographic areas whose population is below a certain threshold are not published.”

Northeast B.C. unemployment rates in 2022:

• January – too low to report
• February – too low to report
• March – too low to report
• April – 4.8%
• May – 5.0%
• June – 5.0%
• July – 4.4%
• August – 3.8%
• September – too low to report
• October – too low to report
• November – too low to report
• December – too low to report

B.C.’s unemployment rate decreased by 0.2 percentage points to 4.2 per cent in December 2022. During the same time in 2021, the province reported a 5.4 per cent unemployment rate.

According to a statement from B.C.’s Minister of Jobs, Brenda Bailey, the province added 62,900 new jobs in 2022.

“As British Columbians navigated new global challenges throughout 2022, last year’s job numbers continue to demonstrate that we’re stronger when we work together to tackle big challenges – from the economic effects of the pandemic to extreme weather events and global inflation,” said Bailey.

Bailey added that three-quarters of last year’s job growth was driven by women’s employment, claiming it was due to the province’s work to provide affordable, accessible child care.

“B.C.’s 2022 job growth was also driven by strong year-over-year increases in private-sector jobs and self-employment (+54,700), and full-time jobs (+45,300). B.C. added 16,600 jobs overall in December alone.”

Nationally, the jobless rate slightly decreased to 5.0 per cent.