After four months of growth amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Hamilton’s unemployment rate dropped in July.
Statistics Canada’s latest data shows the jobless rate fell to 11.3 per cent in July compared to 12.1 per cent in June.
The latest numbers show some relief for the region after numbers surged during the coronavirus pandemic from 4.9 per cent in February to 12.1 per cent at the end of June.
The agency says 9,300 jobs were added to the region in the month of July, however the area is still down 35,600 jobs compared to July of 2019.
The data also shows 6,800 people were added to the labour force in the month of July and 2,600 fewer people claimed unemployment.
In June, the Financial Accountability Office of Ontario (FAO) and Statistics Canada (StatCan) said Hamilton shed close to 46,000 jobs between February and May, primarily due to the pandemic.
The FAO said the bulk of the jobs were lost in the accommodation and food services industry, as well as the manufacturing and health-care sectors.
Niagara jobless rate falls slightly in July
During the pandemic, Niagara has been the second hardest-hit region in Ontario, losing close to 32,000 (15.6 per cent) of its jobs between February and June.
- How caregiving impacts a generation of Canadians: ‘Unpaid work does not end’
- Thousands of Canada’s rail workers have a strike mandate. What happens now?
- Bird flu: Experts urge more surveillance in Canada — before it’s too late
- Can the Bank of Canada cut rates before the U.S.? What Macklem, economists say
In July, the unemployment rate for the St. Catharines-Niagara region dropped slightly to 12.5 percent from June’s 12.9 per cent.
StatCan says 4,700 jobs were added to the region in the month of July.
Niagara is still down about 21,000 jobs compared to July of 2019.
The agency says 4,200 people were added to the labour force for the month of July.
Accommodation and the food services were hit hard during the pandemic in Niagara as the region lost 11.6 per cent of jobs in that category.
Canada adds another 419K jobs
StatCan’s national numbers also showed a dip as the unemployment rate slid to 10.9 per cent in July compared to 12.3 per cent in June. In May, the country had a record high of 13.7 per cent.
The labour market gained 419,000 jobs in July as more parts of the economy were allowed to reopen amid the coronavirus.
About 266,0000 more people were looking for work in the nation in July, rising for the third consecutive month, but still down almost 300,000 from where it was in February.
Comments