London-St. Thomas unemployment rate falls to 5.7% in April

The London-St. Thomas jobless rate has fallen below six per cent for the first time since last fall.

Statistics Canada says 3,800 jobs were added in London last month as the labour force rose by 2,200 and the number of people claiming unemployment fall by 1,600.

The last time the London-St. Thomas unemployment rate was below six per cent was last September.

London’s participation rate continued its recent upward climb. It rose to 61.2 per cent in April, up from 60.8 per cent in March and a full percentage point higher than the start of the year. London’s participation rate still lags behind the provincial and federal levels.

Nationally, employment was unchanged in April and the unemployment rate held steady at 5.8 per cent. Stats Canada says the Canadian economy lost 1,100 jobs last month.

In Ontario, employment held steady in April and the unemployment rate was little changed at 5.6 per cent. On a year-over-year basis, employment in the province rose by 133,000 or 1.9 per cent, all in full-time work.

Adjusted to U.S. concepts, the unemployment rate in Canada was 4.9 per cent in April, compared with 3.9 per cent in the United States. On a year-over-year basis, the unemployment rate fell 0.5 percentage points in both countries.