The Kootenay unemployment rate stood at 5.4 per cent last month, down from 7.4 per cent in April 2017. That was third lowest among seven regions in BC.
Statistics Canada says 66,700 people in the West and East Kootenays were working and 3,800 were looking for work. At the same time last year, 73,500 people had jobs and 5,900 were working.
The overall labour force in the region shrank from 79,400 to 70,500.
The BC rate of 4.9 per cent was down from 5.4 per cent the previous year. The national rate of 5.8 per cent.
