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London’s unemployment rate went down in September by the slightest of margins thanks to modest job gains that helped break a three-month streak of losses.
The London area, which also takes in Strathroy, St. Thomas and portions of Elgin and Middlesex counties, added 700 new jobs last month, Statistics Canada reported Friday.
That helped bring the unemployment rate for the region down to 6.4 per cent from August’s 6.5 per cent.
Though small, the job gains are the first bit of positive news in months for the local labour market, which lost about 7,300 positions over a tough summer and has seen its jobless rate hover around six per cent or above since the start of the year.
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In total, 309,000 people were employed in September, Statistics Canada said.
Ontario also saw job gains last month, adding 43,000 positions in September.
“The employment increase in September extends an upward trend for the province that began in December 2023, with cumulative gains over the period totalling 198,000,” Statistics Canada officials said.
The province’s unemployment rate, however, remained above London’s, sitting at 6.9 per cent – 0.9 percentage points higher than at the same time last year.
Canada’s unemployment rate was little changed last month at 6.5 per cent.
Some positive trends in the national figures include gains of about 33,000 jobs among young people, ages 15 to 24, and average hourly wages going up by 4.6 per cent over the past year to about $35.59.
London-area jobless rate, over the past year
- September 2023: 6 per cent
- October 2023: 5.8 per cent
- November 2023: 5.8 per cent
- December 2023: 5.5 per cent
- January 2024: 5.7 per cent
- February 2024: 5.9 per cent
- March 2024: 6.4 per cent
- April 2024: 6.4 per cent
- May 2024: 6.3 per cent
- June 2024: 6.2 per cent
- July 2024: 6.5 per cent
- August 2024: 6.5 per cent
- September 2024: 6.4 per cent
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