Capital region’s jobless rate ticks upward in July

The Capital Region’s jobless rate ticked up slightly to 4.5 per cent in July, from the 4.4 per cent it stood at in June, Statistics Canada reported Friday.

July’s unemployment rate marked a minimal increase to what has been the lowest unemployment rate in at least 31 years and suggests that the region’s economy is continuing to hold strong and finally recovering from the effects of the 2008-2009 recession. 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.

According to Statistics Canada, there were a total of 741,200 people employed in Ottawa and Gatineau last month, a loss of 3,700 jobs from June.

However, the area’s labour force dropped 775,900 people in July, from 779,300 people in June. The labour force represents the number of people eligible to work and can change as people migrate or retire, among other factors. The 3,400 fewer job seekers helped to offset the loss of jobs during the month, allowing the unemployment rate to hold relatively stable.