Prince George's unemployment rate stood at 4.5 per cent last month, according to Statistics Canada labour market survey numbers released Friday.
That's down from 6.6 per cent for the same month last year.
However, at 50,100, there are now 4,100 fewer people of working age living in the city and area, according to the figures. Similarly, the number holding down jobs was 49,000 - 1,600 fewer than in July 2012.
July's unemployment rate was up slightly from a rock-bottom 3.8 per cent in June, even though the number working was up by 700 over the month before. The rise is due largely to 400 more people of working age actively seeking work, combined with a 100-person decrease in the number of people of working age living in Prince George and area.
Numbers for the Cariboo economic region showed a similar trend as the unemployment rate stood at 5.9 per cent in July 2013, down from 8.1 per cent in July 2012, but at 82,500 there were 3,800 people actually holding down jobs. Likewise, the number of people of working age living in the region was 87,700, compared to 93,900 a year ago.
Month-over-month, July's unemployment rate was up compared to 5.0 per cent in June, but the number of people working rose by 1,300 to 82,500 and the number of people of working age rose by 2,200 to 87,700.
All numbers are based on a three-month rolling average.
