The B.C. Government has offered a snapshot into the economic landscape and employment numbers across the province following Statistic Canada’s release of the August Labour Force Survey.
Michelle Mungall, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Competitiveness, has indicated that B.C. has made positive job gains for the fourth month in a row amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mungall highlights that 15,300 jobs were created in British Columbia over the month of August, with 87 per cent of those jobs being full-time positions. With over 15,000 jobs created, B.C. registers the largest employment increase across the country over the month of August.
“Family-supporting jobs in the manufacturing and agriculture sectors also made a strong comeback in August, with more than 6,000 people finding work in each of those sectors,” said Mungall in a release issued on Friday.
The running total for employment gains across May, June and July is now up to 246,900 jobs recovered.
In a written statement, Mungall added that “total employment now stands at 94 per cent of the pre-pandemic level in February.”
“Meanwhile, our province’s unemployment rate fell for the third month in a row to 10.7 per cent, but we still have a long way to go as many British Columbians are still struggling.”
As far as cities go, Victoria’s unemployment rate sits at 10.3 per cent.
The Minister of Jobs feels the safe, responsible restart of the economy has been working so far and plans on revealing the next steps for recovery later this month.
“I continue to be impressed by how resilient people in our province have been, both in responding to the virus and in supporting our businesses and workers. We are making progress together.”
Earlier on Friday, Statistics Canada released an economic report for the employment numbers across the country.
According to the report, 246,000 were added in August as the pace of job gains slowed compared with July, when 419,000 jobs were added.
Full-time employment is now almost six per cent away from pre-pandemic levels across Canada compared to the 3.9 per cent shortfall in part-time work.
As for the country’s unemployment rate, it fell to 10.2 per cent in August, compared with 10.9 per cent in July.0
Graham Cox
