Employment statistics for B.C. has recently come out, and according to the provincial government, unemployment has gone down.
B.C. sits at 4.8%, tied with Quebec for the lowest unemployment rates in the country, explained Bruce Ralston, Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology with the government of BC.
For the Kootenay-Columbia region, unemployment rates have gone down to 6.6%, from 7.2% last year.
“People are really impressed with the talent we have here in British Columbia across the spectrum,” Ralston said. “An employer in a tight labour market that’s looking to expand, you want the best people you can get and British Columbia has lots of great, talented people.”
Ralston went on to add that focusing on people’s job skills are important to the success of the B.C. economy.
“We have a strong fiscal policy from the provincial government, and investment in people, whether it’s housing, childcare, transportation, jobs, and training and advanced education” Ralston explained to MyEastKootenayNow.com. “Those are the things that help an economy remain strong and diversified and continue into the future towards prosperity.”
Ralston added that while those are important factors, the province’s economy is still subject to resource commodity cycles as well as international markets.