Kelowna jobless rate holds steady, among Canada’s lowest

Though unchanged in November, Kelowna’s unemployment rate remains one of the lowest in Canada.

According to monthly labour force data from Statistics Canada, the city’s jobless rate held steady at 4.4 per cent. This comes as fewer people are both working and looking for work.

The story was similar provincially, with B.C.’s unemployment rate unchanged at 5.6 per cent.

Nationally, the economy added 154,000 jobs, as the labour market showed more signs it's returning to pre-pandemic levels.

The Canadian unemployment rate fell to 6.0 per cent last month compared with 6.7 per cent in October. That brought the headline rate to within 0.3 points of the 5.7 per cent recorded in February 2020, just before the pandemic struck.

Six provinces — Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island — saw job gains, with few changes for the remaining four.

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

The agency notes the monthly jobs survey took place just before severe flooding struck British Columbia.

- With files from The Canadian Press