More than 50,000 people in Prince George are holding down jobs, according to Statistics Canada labour market survey numbers for March, a figure not seen for more than three years.
In all, 50,300 were working as the city's unemployment rate stood at 6.5 per cent, down from 7.7 per cent for the same month last year when 46,900 were employed.
Also, the city's total workforce - those of working age living in Prince George - stood at 53,800 last month, a rise of 3,100 year-over-year.
Where those jobs are coming from is difficult to determine. City economic development manager Melissa Barcellos said the best figures available are for the entire Cariboo economic development region but did note Prince George accounts for 40 per cent of its population. With that in mind, she said the biggest growth came in the accommodation and food services sector at 600 jobs while at the other end of the scale, truck transportation decreased by 300 jobs.
The last time the number employed exceeded 50,000 was in January 2015, according to Citizen records. At that time, the unemployment rate was 4.2 per cent and the workforce added up to 52,500 people.
Barcellos expects the pace to continue as work begins on major building projects such as the condominium project next to city hall, the new Four Seasons Pool, the new fire hall and the hotel projects both underway and on the books.
"There's just a lot happening and that's going to trigger more employment growth locally," she said.
A significant proportion is private sector development, she noted, and added it shows confidence in the local economy.
The labour market survey numbers are based on a three-month rolling average and do not separate full-time from part-time employment.
