B.C. unemployment numbers increase slightly even as Canada adds 95,000 jobs in May

Statistics Canada says the economy added a whopping 95,000 jobs in May, the biggest monthly increase in more than a decade.

The British Columbia economy remained flat in May, while the rest of the country saw the biggest monthly increase in more than a decade.

Statistics Canada says B.C. shed only a few full-time positions and gained some part-time jobs. The unemployment rate grew by 0.4 per cent to 6.8 per cent, reversing a slight decrease the month previous, but still remains well below the national rate.

While B.C. remained stagnant, the country added a whopping 95,000 jobs. The job gains were the first major increase for 2013 and many times greater than economists had expected.

It was the biggest job creation month since August 2002 and brought the country’s official unemployment rate down one-tenth of a point to 7.1 per cent.

The details of the employment report were positive across the board.

All were private sector and in the employee class — rather than the less desirable self-employment category — and almost all were full-time.

Even young people had an easier time finding employment in May, with about 54,000 of the new workers in the 15 to 24 age group joining the labor force.

Regionally, employment rose in most provinces with Ontario realizing the lion’s share of the increases, adding 50,600 workers. Employment rose by 18,600 in Alberta and 20,100 in Quebec.

By industry, there was a big surge in construction jobs in May, rising by about 43,000, and retail and wholesale trade added about 27,000 workers. 

Employment in so-called other services, such as repair and maintenance, increased by 22,000, and there was a 21,000 gain in people working in business, building and other support services.

However, the battered manufacturing sector did not join in the bounty. The agency said there were 14,200 fewer factory workers in May than there had been in April, bringing the total losses in the sector in the past year to almost 100,000.

Here's what happened provincially (previous month in brackets):

— Newfoundland 11.6 (12.4)

— Prince Edward Island 9.4 (9.9)

— Nova Scotia 8.7 (9.0)

— New Brunswick 10.5 (10.9)

— Quebec 7.7 (7.8)

— Ontario 7.3 (7.7)

— Manitoba 5.7 (5.8)

— Saskatchewan 4.5 (4.0)

— Alberta 4.8 (4.4)

— British Columbia 6.8 (6.4)