Peterborough’s unemployment rate is once again the highest among metropolitan areas in Canada.
According to Statistics Canada, Peterborough’s jobless rate was 9.6 per cent for the month of July — continuing a steady climb from 4.9 per cent in March and 8.5 per cent in June.
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With the latest figures, Peterborough has surpassed Calgary as the city with the highest unemployment rate in the country. Calgary held the dubious distinction for 12 consecutive months as jobs disappeared in the oil and gas sector.
Nationally, Canada’s unemployment rate fell to 6.3 per cent, the lowest since October 2008. Ontario saw a similar trend as the 6.1 per cent rate in July is down from 6.4 per cent in June.
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The pace of job growth slowed, however, with 10,900 net new positions, down from an increase of 45,300 in June. The number of full-time jobs grew by 35,100, offset by the loss of 24,300 part-time jobs.
Other major cities’ rates followed by last month’s rate
- St. John’s, N.L. 8.4 per cent (7.9)
- Halifax 6.8 (6.9)
- Moncton, N.B. 5.2 (5.4)
- Quebec City 4.0 (4.4)
- Montreal 6.3 (6.5)
- Ottawa 6.5 (6.1)
- Kingston, Ont. 5.5 (5.4)
- Oshawa, Ont. 5.9 (5.7)
- Toronto 6.9 (6.7)
- Hamilton 5.4 (5.2)
- Guelph, Ont. 4.5 (3.8)
- London, Ont. 5.6 (6.0)
- Barrie, Ont. 6.3 (5.7)
- Sudbury, Ont. 6.7 (6.6)
- Thunder Bay, Ont. 5.4 (5.8)
- Winnipeg 5.6 (5.8)
- Regina 5.4 (5.1)
- Saskatoon 8.4 (8.4)
- Calgary 8.5 (8.9)
- Edmonton 8.5 (7.9)
- Vancouver 5.1 (5.1)
- Victoria 4.6 (4.1)