According to B.C. Stats, the unemployment rate increased in the Cariboo from 7.1 per cent in June 2010 to 7.4 per cent in June 2011.
The current rate corresponds with the provincial average.
On Tuesday, the City released data compiled on economic trends including building permits, building projects, business licences, airport passenger and aircraft movements, Employment Insurance beneficiaries, income assistance recipients, real estate, vacancy rates and commodity prices.
The number of EI beneficiaries declined from 900 in January 2011 to 710 in April.
Coun. Geoff Bourdon suggested the EI rate compared to the unemployment rate could reflect that recipients have run out of EI benefits.
Coun. Laurie Walters, who works at Williams Lake Employment Services, noted in her experience more people are finding jobs.
“There is an increase in people being employed,” she said.
The number of building permits in the first half of 2011 was 76 for a value of $5.2 million compared to 2010 of 39 at $8.97 million; new home construction in the first half of 2011 was 10 for a value of $1.3 million as compared to 14 in 2010 for $3.35 million.
The number of new business licences in the first half of 2011 was 48; in 2010 it was 59.
The number of aircraft passengers and aircraft movements for the first half of 2011 was 15, 561 and 4,610 respectively compared to 14, 016 and 5,138.
The selling price of an average single family home in Williams Lake was $233,934 in 2011 with 66 units sold and $249, 213 for 2010 with 78 units sold.
The vacancy rate as of April 2011 was 11.8 per cent and in Oct. 2010 was 11.9 per cent.
The City lists commodity prices as of June for Gold: $1,537 U.S. per ounce, copper: $4 U.S. per pound and lumber as of April at $284 U.S. per board foot.
