The unemployment picture in Greater Victoria as well as Vancouver Island continues to improve.
New figures from Statistics Canada show the unemployment rate of Victoria Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) at 6.3 per cent in November, a drop of 1.3 per cent compared to October. Year-to-date, the unemployment rate is up 2.9 per cent compared to 3.4 per cent in November 2019.
Vancouver Island as a whole recorded an unemployment rate of 7.3 per cent in November, down one per cent from October. Year-to-date, the unemployment rate for Vancouver Island is up three per cent from 4.3 per cent in November 2019.
Compared to other CMAs in British Columbia, Victoria recorded the second-lowest unemployment, ahead of Vancouver and Abbotsford-Mission, with both recording a rate of 8.1 per cent in November. Kelowna CMA recorded the lowest rate among the four CMAs in British Columbia with a rate of 4.7 per cent.
RELATED: Unemployment in Greater Victoria continues to drop
Provincially, the unemployment rate stood at 7.1 per cent, down nearly a full per cent from eight per cent in October. Year-to-date, the provincial unemployment rate in November is up 2.1 per cent from five per cent in November 2019.
Nationally, the unemployment rate fell 0.4 per cent to 8.5 per cent in November, continuing the steady fall from the record high 13.7 per cent in May.
But these broad coordinates come with several caveats as new health restrictions have kicked into effect across the country. As Statistics Canada says, employment has fallen in sectors most directly affected by public health restrictions, notably in accommodation and food services.
“On the other hand, employment continued to approach or exceed pre-COVID levels in industries where working from home or physical distancing is more feasible, such as professional, scientific and technical services,” it reads.
Accordingly, the number of Canadians working from home increased for the second consecutive month in November.
Do you have a story tip? Email: vnc.editorial@blackpress.ca.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.
