Central Okanagan unemployment rate still one of Canada's lowest

Photo: Contributed

The unemployment rate in the Central Okanagan remained unchanged in November, keeping it as one of the lowest marks in the country.

Statistics Canada released its monthly job numbers on Friday, and it found that Kelowna’s metropolitan area had an unemployment rate of 4.4%. That is the sixth lowest mark among Canada’s metropolitan areas, behind only Quebec City, Saguenay, Que., Sherbrooke, Que., Gatineau, Que., and Victoria.

The Central Okanagan’s labour force, which is the number of people who were able to work, increased from 115,700 in October to 117,000 in November. The number of people who were working increased as well, jumping from 110,600 to 111,800.

The Central Okanagan’s low unemployment rate mirrored that of the entire Thompson Okanagan region, whose mark dropped from 4.5% in October to 4.3% in November.

Overall, Statistics Canada reported the national economy added 154,000 jobs in November as the labour market showed more signs it's returning to pre-pandemic levels.

The unemployment rate fell to 6% last month compared with 6.7% in October.

In B.C. the unemployment rate was 5.6%, which was unchanged from last month.

With unemployment declining and job vacancies ticking upwards, the statistics office says signs point to new or worsening labour shortages or skill mismatches.

Leah Nord, senior director of workforce strategies for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, says the country is no better off today than pre-pandemic because there is still no meaningful way to connect unemployed workers with available jobs.

"Now clear of the impacts of support programs, our labour market’s structural problem is laid bare: an entrenched misalignment between the skills employers are looking for and job seekers are offering," she said, warning that labour market pains are likely to worsen through early next year.