Kelowna, B.C.’s jobless rate drops slightly in March

The jobless rate in Kelowna, B.C., dropped slightly in March and remained below the provincial average, according to the latest figures from Statistics Canada.

According to the latest labour numbers from Statistics Canada, the unemployment rate was 3.4 per cent in March, which is down from 3.5 per cent in February.  That means 4,100 are unemployed in the Okanagan, which is actually the same as the month earlier

Comparatively, Abbotsford’s unemployment rate for March was 5.8 per cent, Vancouver’s was 4.9 per cent, and Victoria’s was a mere 3.2 per cent.

B.C., which boasted the second-lowest unemployment rate among provinces at 4.5 per cent, added 14,300 jobs, 5,300 of those in the private sector.

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“With the first signs of spring and following steady overall job increases this year, B.C. job numbers in March remained consistent, despite the ripple effects of global economic uncertainty that are being felt around the world,” Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation said in a statement.

“We are tackling head-on the labour shortage businesses are facing through the Future Ready Plan with $480 million over three years, so people can get the skills they need to get that great job they are after, and businesses can recruit and retain employees to help them expand and grow. It will also include new funding to help businesses find and implement technology and practical solutions to prepare for a changing global economy.”

The national unemployment rate held steady for a fourth straight month at five per cent in March, according to Thursday’s release of Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey, which is just above the record low of 4.9 per cent.

Employment rose slightly with 35,000 positions added last month, the agency said, with job gains concentrated in the private sector.