Kamloops-area unemployment rate drops to 9.5 per cent in September

According to the data, there was a negligible change in the overall population (106,700 vs. 106,200) as well as the overall labour force (73,600 vs. 74,100) between August and September.

The participation rate – the total labour force expressed as a percentage of the population aged 15 and older – dropped from 69.8 per cent in August to 69 per cent last month.

Image Credit: Statistics Canada

B.C. added 7,800 jobs in September with the largest increases in manufacturing, accommodation and food services. That said, the provincial unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 6.4 per cent last month.

The provincial unemployment rate was at 6.2 per cent in August and six per cent in September last year.

“B.C. and Canada are facing serious challenges in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump’s attacks on our economy and sovereignty,” B.C. Jobs and Economic Growth Minister Ravi Kahlon said in a statement.

“Tariffs and economic uncertainty are large challenges for certain sectors and regions throughout the province.”

According to the province, there has been a year-over-year increase of 48,600 jobs in British Columbia.

“B.C. leads the country in year-over-year private-sector job growth, with a gain of nearly 56,000 jobs since September 2024, demonstrating the strength and resilience of B.C. businesses,” Kahlon added.

Nationally, the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 7.1 per cent as the labour market added an unexpected 60,000 jobs, with 42,500 of those positions in Alberta.

The unemployment rate for youth aged 15 to 24 rose two tenths of a point to 14.7 per cent in September — a 15-year high, outside the pandemic years — as students returning to school continued to struggle finding work after a tough summer jobs market.

The jobless rate among youth attending school was 17.1 per cent, up 3.1 percentage points from September 2024, StatsCan said.

– With files from The Canadian Press

by Victor Kaisar

Kamloops-area unemployment rate drops to 9.5 per cent in September

Our Community