The regional unemployment rate in the area that includes Bruce and Grey counties increased slightly in April to six per cent.
The Four County Labour Market Planning Board says that’s the highest jobless rate for the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula region since April 2021.
The higher unemployment rate comes as 400 new full-time positions and 1,500 new part time jobs were created in the region last month. But the size of the labour force grew to about 166,000 people (an increase of 2,300 from March), leading to the slightly higher jobless rate.
The greatest job gains came in the construction (+2,900), business, building and support services (+600), finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (+600) and utilities (+400) sectors.
The professional, scientific and technical services (-2,000), information, culture and food services (-600) and manufacting (-100) industries posted employment declines.
Ontario’s unemployment rate fell slightly in April, to 5.1 per cent.
Nationally, it held steady at five per cent for a fifth straight month as 41,000 new positions were created across Canada.
