Capital jobless rate holds at record low

The Capital Region’s jobless rate remained at a historically low 4.4 per cent in May, the same as in April, Statistics Canada reported Friday.

It’s the lowest unemployment rate in at least 31 years. Data compiled prior to 1987 reflects different metropolitan boundaries and isn’t comparable, the federal agency says. Data for metropolitan areas is adjusted for seasonal influences, but based on the average of the three most recent monthly samples.

This we do know: It’s the first time in a decade that the jobless rate for Ottawa- Gatineau has been below five per cent for three consecutive months, suggesting the local economy has finally recovered from the effects of the 2008-09 recession.

Unclear, because the sample size for Ottawa-Gatineau is too small to accurately measure it, is how many of those working in May were doing so part-time, and what percentage were doing so because they couldn’t find fulltime work.

Nationally, 18.5 per cent of those employed in May were part-timers.

The capital region economy added 1,200 net new jobs last month. The unemployment rate remained steady because the labour force, which includes those looking for work, increased by a similar amount.

There were 34,000 jobless people in May, the same as in April but down from nearly 44,000 a year earlier.

Most of the good news was on the Ottawa side of the river, which added 2,300 net jobs in May compared to April. This caused the unemployment rate to drop to 4.1 per cent from 4.2 per cent over the same period.

In Gatineau, employment rolls shrank by 1,000 while the labour force weakened by 500. The result: Gatineau’s jobless rate deteriorated to 5.1 per cent in May from 4.8 per cent in April.

Employment in two of the region’s key sectors, federal government and high-tech, edged up marginally from April to 127,900 and 48,600 respectively.

Elsewhere the gainers in May were: Professional services (up 3,500 jobs compared to April), transportation and warehousing (up 2,100), business services (a gain of 2,100) and construction (up 1,900).

There were employment declines in health services (down 3,700), food services & hotels (a decline of 3,800) and education (off 2,700).

Data for industry sectors is unadjusted for seasonality.

Nationally, Statistics Canada says the unemployment rate stood unchanged at 5.8 per cent in May, although the country lost about 7,500 jobs.