After two months of gradual improvement, the London region’s unemployment rate edged up in September. According to Statistics Canada, the jobless rate in the area—including St. Thomas, Strathroy, and parts of Middlesex and Elgin counties—rose to 6.2 per cent, a slight increase from 6.1 per cent in August. This follows declines from 6.5 per cent in July and 7.2 per cent in June.
The modest rise mirrors a broader national trend. Canada’s unemployment rate held steady at 7 per cent last month, while Ontario’s rate climbed to 7.9 per cent, up from 7.7 per cent in August.
Despite the uptick in unemployment, the London region’s employment rate improved, reaching 61.5 per cent in September, up from 60.8 per cent in August. The region has seen steady progress in this metric over the past few months, with rates of 60.4 per cent in July and 60 per cent in June, indicating more residents are entering the workforce.
Written by: C. Soares