Kelowna sees unemployment rise as it falls elsewhere

Photo: The Canadian Press

Job numbers across Canada were unexpectedly robust in December with ?91,000 jobs added and the unemployment rate falling by .1 percentage point, though Kelowna didn't share in the country's good fortune.?

Employment numbers across Canada were unexpectedly robust in December with 91,000 jobs added and the unemployment rate falling by 0.1 percentage point to 6.7 per cent.

In Metro Kelowna, however, unemployment edged up.

Statistic Canada's jobs report shows that unemployment in Metro Kelowna area rose from 4.7 per cent in November to 5.0 per cent in December. That translated to a total of 6,100 people were jobless in the Central Okanagan in December, up from 5,500 in November.

Victoria continued to have the province’s lowest jobless rate, at just 3.6 per cent, down from 3.7 per cent in November. The unemployment rate in Vancouver was 6.3 per cent, and it was 5.7 per cent in Abbotsford-Mission.

Diana Gibson, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation said there were 14,100 jobs added in December and was positive given slow global economic growth and the threat of proposed U.S. tariffs being felt across Canada.

“Our province continues to show strength with a gain of 4,300 private-sector jobs last month, building on additional private-sector job gains over the past few months. Our unemployment rate continues to be one of the lowest in the country (third at 6.0 per cent), and below the national average of 6.7 per cent," Gibson said in a statement.

The job gains were met with less enthusiasm by Gavin Dew, the BC Conservative Critic for Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation.

Dew said the province’s economic outlook remains shaky despite the government’s attempts to spin it otherwise.

“Minister Gibson is touting job gains, but the truth is that BC’s private sector job creation has been dead last in Canada for years,” said Dew, the Conservative Official Opposition Critic for Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation.

“There’s nothing here to run a victory lap about. Since the pandemic, the NDP has relied on public sector hiring to pad their numbers. That’s not real economic growth — that’s taxpayers footing the bill for government expansion while the private sector struggles to create opportunities.”

Dew said business confidence in BC is among the worst in the country and the most recent survey shows that while year-over-year BC has added 13,300 public sector jobs, while losing 6,400 private sector jobs.

Nationwide, analysts had projected the job growth to be between 10,000 to 25,000 new jobs in December, not the 91,000 reported.

The education, transportation and finance sectors saw the largest gains in employment in December, while the public sector added 40,000 jobs, according to Statistics Canada.

Full-time employment rose by 56,000.

While private sector employment was little changed in December -- up 27,000 jobs -- self-employment rose for the first time since February, up by 24,000.

The report also highlighted decelerating wage growth, with average hourly wages rising 3.8 per cent year-over-year in December -- the slowest growth since May 2022. November's growth was 4.1 per cent, and 4.9 per cent in October.