Job numbers are up in British Columbia, according to the latest report from Statistics Canada. File photo.
Statistics Canada said there were 20,000 jobs created in British Columbia in June, dropping the provincial unemployment rate down to 5.1 per cent.
Overall, the data agency said the Canadian labour market beat expectations and added just over 45,000 jobs last month. The strong growth dropped the national unemployment rate down to 6.5 per cent.
However, most of the jobs were part-time. There were 37,000 new part-time jobs and about 8,000 new full-time jobs created in June nationally.
Over a year-to-year basis, employment grew by 104,000 jobs in the province or 4.4 per cent. From June 2016 to June 2017, unemployment dropped by 10.8 per cent.
However, the unemployment rate rose in Victoria slightly and is now at 4.1 per cent.
Quebec also saw a large employment gain, with 28,000 jobs created in June.
The Bank of Canada will meet on July 12 to set its benchmark interest rate. It is expected the central bank will hike rates for the first time in seven years due to solid GDP growth.
Alexa Huffman
