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October 28, 2017 12:50 am

Unemployment Up in P.G.

Friday, January 8, 2016 @ 8:57 AM

Prince George, B.C.-  Unemployment in Prince George was 6.2% in December,  up from 4.1%  in the same month a year ago.

Stats Canada  Analyst, Vincent Ferrao says that translates to 3,100 people being unemployed last month compared to 2,200 who were without work  in December 2014.  He says  while there wasn’t much change in part time work,  there were declines in  full time positions.  There were  increases in manufacturing and the retail, wholesale sectors.

For the Cariboo region ( which includes Prince George, ) the unemployment rate  was 7.2% last month compared to 4.9% in December of 2014.   Ferrao says the declines were in  the natural resources,  manufacturing, transportation and warehousing sectors.

Provincially,  the rate  climbed to 6.7%,  up  from 5.5%   a year ago.

Nationally, the rate increased slightly.  It was  6.7% in December of 2014, and climbed to 7.1% last month.

Comments

we’re in a recession, whether the government wants to admit it or not. Our dollar is very low, oil is low, full time jobs are crashing, layoff mounting, and people are getting scared. i’m scared. Hello 2016…

A little better perspective might help.

Comparing December 2015 to Dec 2014

Canada 7.1% from 6.7%
Cariboo 7.1% from 4.9%
Alberta 7.0% from 4.7%
BC 6.7% from 5.5%
PG 6.2% from 4.1%
Vancouver 5.7% (Dec 2015)

Out of interest comparing that with our neighbors to the immediate east and south

Edmonton 6.2% (Dec 2015)
Calgary 7.0% (Dec 2015)
Washington State 5.3% (Nov. 2015) from 6.3%(Dec 2014)

So far, PG seems to be weathering it relatively well even though a few from Alberta might have started to return to their favourite province to help increase the unemployment rate here.

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