There's good news for Prince George and its work forces.
In the latest Labour Force Survey data released by Statistics Canada today (Feb. 5) Prince George saw a decrease in unemployment from 7.6 in December of 2020 to 6.8 per cent last month.
It wasn't great news for B.C. and Canada, however, with the nation's rate increasing from 8.6 to 9.4 per cent between December and January.
B.C. rose from 7.2 to eight per cent.
#Employment fell by 213,000 (-1.2%) in January. Losses were entirely in part-time work and were concentrated in the #Quebec and #Ontario retail trade sectors: https://t.co/IJxBpe6SDi. #CdnEcon pic.twitter.com/00FgIpHJog
— Statistics Canada (@StatCan_eng) February 5, 2021
Despite the rise, Minister of Jobs, Economy Recovery and Innovation Ravi Kahlon says B.C. is showing 'resilience' despite job losses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"This winter and the second wave of the pandemic have been a strain for people and businesses in British Columbia, but our combined efforts to follow the guidance of the provincial health officer have resulted in an economy that continues to show resilience," he said in a statement.
"Despite the large number of job losses in many parts of Canada, British Columbia was able to create 2,800 jobs in January, according to the latest Labour Force Survey. We're also seeing the positive trend toward full-time employment continue.
"Our province's economic recovery will not fully take hold until vaccinations have been fully administered, which is why it is critically important we do everything we can to prevent the spread of this virus. At the same time, we will work collaboratively with the hardest-hit sectors to support them during this difficult time and ensure we're building a recovery in B.C. that closes inequality gaps in our society."
Canada lost 213,000 jobs during the first month of 2021. Another 53,000 were lost in December.
January's numbers have brought Canada down to its lowest employment level since August of 2020.
The unemployment rate was highly concentrated in Central Canada, Stats Canada says. Losses in Ontario and Quebec totalled 251,000.
Employment also fell in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Accommodation and food services were hard hit in January with an 8.2 per cent drop. Retail trade also dropped by 7.4 per cent.
Alberta and Quebec helped employment in the goods-producing sector with an additional 39,000 jobs added in the construction industry.
