For the third month in a row, the London area unemployment rate rose.
Figures released by Statistics Canada on Friday show the jobless rate in the London census metropolitan area, which includes London, St. Thomas, Strathroy and other surrounding communities, increased to 5.4 per cent in February, up from 5.2 per cent the previous month.
The region lost roughly 600 jobs last month, but the size of the labour force was unchanged. The total number of people employed sits at 253,100.
Nationally, the unemployment rate held steady last month, maintaining the 5.8 percent it hit in January. Nearly 56,000 net new jobs were added across the country, with more people looking for work.
Provincially, the jobless rate was unchanged at 5.7 per cent. That is despite the Ontario economy adding 36,900 new jobs, most of them full-time positions.
