Unemployment Rate Up for January, 2009

The national unemployment rate is jumped from 6.6% in Dec., 2008 - 7.2% in Jan., 2009. The largest provincial increases were in BC and Ontario, with almost a full percentage point each. BC's out of work rose from 5.3 - 6.2%, while Ontario's loss was .8%, going from 7.2 - 8%. In January there was a loss of 129,000 jobs in Canada, a nearly 30 year worst. Newfoundland and Labrador's rate rose from 13.7 - 14.3 %. In St. John's, NL, jobs held steady, only a .1% increase in unemployment. (source)

Canada's Unemployment Statistics Jan., 2009 (%)

Place	December ' 08	January ' 09	Rate of change
	%	%
Canada	6.6	7.2	+.6%
BC	5.3	6.2	+.9%
AB	4.2	4.4	+.2%
SK	4.2	4.1	-.1%
MB	4.3	4.6	+.3%
ON	7.2	8	+.8%
QC	7.3	7.7	+.4%
NB	8.6	8.7	+.1%
NS	8.2	8.8	+.6%
PE	11.7	11.9	+.2%
NL	13.7	14.3	+.6%