The city's unemployment rate climbed to 5.5 per cent in March, according to Statistics Canada labour market survey numbers released Friday.
That's up from 4.7 per cent in April as the number of people holding down jobs declined by 900 to 49,300. Previous to the latest figures, the number of people working was above the 50,000 mark for two straight months.
The number of people of working age in the city also declined, by 400 to 52,700, while those unemployed but looking for work rose by 400 to 2,900 and those not participating in the labour market also rose by 400 to 18,300.
The picture remained better than for March last year in the sense that 46,600 people were working, or 700 fewer than in March this year. Also, the number of people of working age stood at 46,600, or 6,100 fewer than in March 2014.
However, at 4.5 per cent, the unemployment rate was lower and 2,200 people were unemployed but looking for work, 700 fewer than last month.
The figures are based on a three-month rolling average and do not say how many are working full-time and part-time.
