Encouraging signs continue in London’s latest employment figures

The London-area’s record-low jobless rate hardly budgeted last month as the region added 3,500 jobs, just released figures show.

The unemployment rate increased to 4.5 per cent in June from the record low of 4.4 per cent in May in the metropolitan area that takes in London, Strathroy, St. Thomas and portions of Elgin and Middlesex counties, Statistics Canada said Friday.

A total of 303,100 people were employed in the London region last month, the figures show.

The local economy’s participation rate – the percentage of the adult population either employed or looking for work – increased to 65.2 per cent last month, improving from 64.6 per cent in May.

Ontario’s unemployment remained largely unchanged, rising 0.2 percentage points to 5.7 per cent last month, as the province added 56,000 jobs, figures from Statistics Canada show.

Nationally, employment rose by 60,000 jobs in June, while the unemployment rate rose slightly to 5.4 per cent.

More jobs were added to industries that include wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, health care and social assistance and transportation and warehousing. Meanwhile, declines were seen in construction, educational services and agriculture.