Windsor unemployment ticks up to 8.5 per cent in May – Windsor News Today

Windsor’s jobless rate saw a slight rise in May.

Despite adding 3,000 jobs to the local economy, the region’s unemployment rate rose one-tenth of a percentage point last month, to 8.5 per cent.

About 3,700 people joined the Windsor-Essex labour force in May, which accounted for the increase.

Nationwide, Statistics Canada said the national economy added 26,000 net jobs, buoyed by adding 62,000 part-time positions. At the same time, 36,000 net full-time positions were lost.

Canada’s unemployment was up to 6.2 per cent, an increase month-to-month of one-tenths of a percentage point. 

The labour force participation rate, however, held steady at 65.4 per cent, while the employment rate went down a tenth of a point to 61.3 per cent.

Ontario’s unemployment rate did not change, going down to 6.7 percent compared to 6.8 per cent last month. The province added 50,000 jobs, the fourth gain in the past five months. 

The May survey indicated that more people are working part-time hours in their main job. The involuntary part-time employment rate, defined as the proportion of part-time workers who could not find full-time work, or who worked part-time due to poor business conditions, was up 18.2 per cent in May, compared to 15.4 per cent in May 2023.

Unemployment for core-aged women, between the ages of 25 and 54, fell last month by 40,000, the first decline in this category since May 2022.

Healthcare and social assistance were the employment sectors that grew the most in May, by a combined 30,000 jobs, This is the third monthly increase in a row. Employment in the construction field went down by 30,000 jobs in May.

Average hourly wages leveled in May across Canada, decreasing by one cent to $34.94.