Unemployment rate rises in N.L.

OTTAWA (CP) — The unemployment rate for Newfoundland and Labrador is nearly 140 per cent more than the national average according to a report released Friday by Statistics Canada (Statscan). Newfoundland and Labrador came in at 15.1 per cent for September, up from 14.7 per cent in August. Prince Edward Island was next on the less at 9.5 per cent. Canada’s national unemployment rate was 6.2 per cent in September.

Statscan also released seasonally adjusted, threemonth moving average unemployment rates for major cities on Friday.

St. John’s led the way at 8.9 per cent, an increase of .5 per cent over the previous month.

Atlantic Canada occupied many of the top spots on the list and after St. John’s was followed by Halifax at 7.2 (7.1), Moncton at 5.6 (5.1) and Saint John at 5.7 (5.8). The previous month is in parentheses.

Stascan cautions that the figures may fluctuate widely because they are based on small statistical samples. Calgary and Edmonton both recorded unemployment rates of 8.5 per cent for September.