London-St. Thomas jobless rate ticks slightly higher as labour force surges

The London-St. Thomas jobless rate rose slightly to 4.5 per cent in June from 4.4 per cent in May, due largely to a sharp climb in the labour force.

The region actually added 3,500 jobs last month but the overall labour force, or the number of people currently able to work, swelled by 4,200, including 600 more people claiming unemployment.

London’s participation rate, or the percentage of the working-age population that is working or looking for work, climbed in June to 65.2 per cent up from 64.6 per cent in May.

Nationally, the unemployment rate rose to 5.4 per cent last month, up from 5.2 per cent in May and the highest rate in over a year.

The federal agency says the increase came as the economy added 60,000 jobs in June, but with more people searching for work, the unemployment rate pushed higher.

— with files from Global News’ Devon Peacock.