OTTAWA - Canada's unemployment rate rose to its highest level since 1999 to land at 8 per cent in December 2001. The rise is due in large part to an increase in available workers.

Overall employment rose by 25,000 jobs, with the biggest gains in part time employment. Full time employment was down 20,000.

Self employment was down for the second year in a row and now sits at 3.5 per cent.

British Columbia lost 59,000 jobs over the course of the year due to drops in forestry, logging, and wood and products manufacturing. In Saskatchewan, the agricultural industry was hardest hit with an 85 per cent job loss from 2000. Neighbouring province Alberta kept its employment rate stable. However, the increase of people looking for work in the province pushed the unemployment rate up to 5.1 per cent.

Ontario's year-end unemployment rate is below the national average at 6.9 per cent. The province lost jobs in the manufacturing sector while posting gains in the retail and wholesale trades. Quebec was also troubled by a weak manufacturing sector with 11,000 jobs lost. Overall, the province's job market did increase by one per cent for the year.

Newfoundland and Labrador saw their employment rates increase 3.3 per cent, a record for the province. However, despite the increase the unemployment rate sits at 17 per cent due to increased labour force participation. Nova Scotia's rate was slightly higher than in 2000 and sat at 10 per cent for the year.

Other provinces December rates remained unchanged.

For a full version of the survey go to www.statcan.ca/english/Subjects/Labour/LFS/lfs-en.htm.

 

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