For a second straight month, there has been a drop in the London-area unemployment rate.
According to figures released by Statistics Canada on Friday morning, the jobless rate for the London Census Metropolitan Area -- which includes St. Thomas, Strathroy, and other surrounding communities -- was 5.8 per cent in November. It was 6.2 per cent in October.
The decrease in the jobless rate was the result of the creation of 5,500 new jobs and a decrease in the number of people claiming Employment Insurance. The region also saw an increase in the labour force, which measures the number of people working or looking for work.
Statistics Canada also reported an increase in the local labour participation rate, from 59.9 per cent in October to 60.1 per cent in November. This marks the first time in nearly a year that the participation rate eclipsed 60 per cent.
Nationally, the unemployment rate climbed to 5.9 per cent in November from 5.5 per cent in October as the economy shed more than 71,000 jobs.