B.C. reports job growth in December

While Canada’s unemployment rate remained virtually unchanged in December, the B.C. government says the province led the country in job growth last month.

B.C. Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation Brenda Bailey says the province added 17,700 jobs in December, and a total of 74,000 in 2023.

She notes all of the employement gains last year were in full-time jobs.

“Our unemployment rate remains one of the lowest among provinces (5.6%) and below the national average,” Bailey said in a statement Friday.

The unemployment rate in November 2023 was 5.3 per cent.

Nationally, Statistics Canada says the unemployement rate held steady at 5.8 per cent in the final month of 2023, noting the economy added a total of 100 jobs in December.

The result came as the number of full-time jobs fell by 23,500 in December, offset by a gain of 23,600 part-time jobs.

Meanwhile, Statistics Canada notes average hourly wages last month were up 5.4 per cent on a year-over-year basis compared with an increase of 4.8 per cent in November.

When it comes to how much people are making, Bailey says B.C. is “first among provinces in year-over-year growth in average hourly wage.”

-With files from The Canadian Press