The unemployment rate went up as of the end of July in North Bay compared to a year ago.

Statistics Canada says it stands at 8.5 % and that’s 2.7 % above the figure 12 months ago of 5.8 %.

The unemployment rate last month is not deemed to be statistically significant because it is not more than the standard error of 2.7 %.

The employment rate is down from 56.4 % a year ago to 56.1% last month,

The figure takes in Bonfield, East Ferris and Callander in addition to North Bay

. Interestingly, the local labour force rose year to year by a thousand to 34,000.

Nationally, the unemployment rate fell to a four-decade low of 5.8 per cent, down from six per cent in June.

Ontario’s unemployment rate has dipped to its lowest level in 18 years.
Latest numbers from Statistics Canada indicate the rate dropped half a point to 5.4 per cent last month.
The numbers show Ontario picked up more than 60-thousand new jobs last month.
However, all the gains were in part-time work.

Filed under: jobless