Statistics Canada says unemployment went up one-tenth in Victoria to 4.3 per cent in August compared to 4.2 per cent in July. Nationally, the jobless rate rose to six per cent in August from 5.8 per cent the month before. Photo courtesy CBC.
The unemployment rate went up in Victoria, B.C. and nationwide last month as Statistics Canada released its latest job figures Friday.
Stats Canada says unemployment rose slightly in Victoria to 4.3 in August, up one-tenth from the 4.2 per cent registered in July.
The agency says the Canadian economy had a net loss of 51,600 jobs, which drove the jobless rate to six per cent, up from 5.8 per cent the month before.
The picture was similar in B.C., which saw a three-tenths spike to 5.3 per cent unemployment in August.
The loss of jobs nearly wiped out the gains made across the country in July when employment positions increased by 54,100.
The drop was fueled by 92,000 part-time positions lost, although full-time jobs increased by 40,400.
There was another slide in average hourly wage growth, which closely watched by the Bank of Canada.
Growth was at 2.9 per cent after expanding 3.6 per cent in June and 3.2 per cent in July.
With files from the Canadian Press.
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