The unemployment rate for the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region increased by 0.8 percentage points to 4.9% last month.
Overall employment in the region decreased by 200 with full-time gains of 1,600 offset by part-time losses of 1,800.
At the same time, the provincial unemployment rate increased slightly, by 0.1 percentage points, to 5.1%.
The number of goods producing sector employees increased by 800 with gains in construction and manufacturing but offset by losses in agriculture and utilities
Employment in the services producing sector decreased by 1,000.
The greatest losses were in accommodation, food services, wholesale and retail trade. These losses were partly offset by gains in professional, scientific and technical services, as well as transportation and warehousing and educational services.
“Although the local unemployment rate continues to rise in 2020, this is similar to what we observed last year at this time and does not point to any shifts in our annual unemployment rate,” said Gemma Mendez-Smith, Executive Director of the Four County Labour Market Planning Board.
