There was a slight jump in the unemployment rate for the London area last month, as about 1,000 jobs were lost.
According to figures released Friday by Statistics Canada, the jobless rate for the London Census Metropolitan Area was 6.5 per cent in October, up from 6.3 per cent the month before. The London CMA includes London, St. Thomas, Strathroy, and other surrounding communities.
The increase came after the unemployment rate fell in September, a drop that followed five straight months of increases.
Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey said new employment in accommodation and food services, manufacturing, and construction helped add another 108,000 jobs across Canada.
The report said more people returned to work after unemployment, more left the labour force, fewer left their current position, and more immigrants started new businesses. That boosted the Labour Participation Rate to 64.9 per cent, an increase of 0.2 percentage points from September.
However, it wasn’t enough to impact the national jobless rate. It remained at 5.2 per cent.
October’s national results show the economy recouping employment losses between May and September.
Six provinces saw job growth, including Ontario, which added another 43,000 positions. That wasn’t enough to budge the needle. The jobless rate remained at 5.9 per cent.
Canadians worked more in October, 0.7 per cent hours more than in September, and the average yearly wage continued to grow. They were paid $1.68 more than a year ago, or $31.94 an hour.
This month’s report also examined who most likely got a raise, and discovered it wasn’t those who might need it most. Lower-paid employees, making $20 an hour or less, were half as likely to get more than their higher-paid counterparts. The survey said one in three Canadians now live in households challenged to meet basic financial obligations like the cost of housing, food, transportation, and clothing. It’s a significant increase from October two years ago when one in five Canadians reported such difficulty.
**with files from Adelle Loiselle
