B.C. gained 14,400 jobs in August; employment above pre-pandemic levels for 3rd month
For the third month in a row, Canada's Labour Force Survey showed B.C. was the only province in the country with employment above pre-pandemic levels, the provincial jobs ministry said.
In a news release Friday, Labour Minister Ravi Kahlon said B.C.'s job recovery rate last month was 101.1 per cent.
According to the federal survey, B.C.'s unemployment rate was at 6.2 per cent in August, down from July's rate of 6.6.
"The Labour Force Survey for August shows that B.C. is making great strides in our economic recovery," Kahlon said in a statement, adding that of the jobs added, 13,600 were among women and all job gains were full time.
More locally, two areas of B.C. saw increases in their unemployment rates.
Kelowna's rate rose slightly from 5.6 per cent to 5.7 last month. The Abbotsford-Mission census subdivision increased from 5.4 to 5.9.
Meanwhile, Vancouver's rate lowered from 7.6 per cent to 7.2. Victoria's rate also dropped slightly from 4.3 per cent. 4.2.
"These numbers show we are doing well, but we know there is more work to do. We continue to support the strength of our economic recovery with the BC Vaccine Card coming into effect on Sept. 13, 2021," Kahlon said in a statement.
“We all understand that a healthy economy and a healthy B.C. go hand in hand, so do your part and get vaccinated. Taking this important step is the best and easiest way to put COVID-19 in the past and set our province on a path for a strong economic recovery.”
When the pandemic first hit last year, the unemployment rate rose significantly in the province, reaching a high of 13.4 per cent in May. At the time, officials connected that high figure to economic slowdown from the province's COVID-19 response.
Unemployment gradually decreased as businesses reopened last spring and summer, but rose again slightly at the start of 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.
First in Canada procedure performed at London, Ont. hospital
A London man has become the first person in Canada to receive a robotic assisted surgery on his spine. Dave Myeh suffered from debilitating, chronic back pain that led to sciatica in his right now and extreme pain in his lower back.