Next step for new bridge plaza.  May 01, 2017.  (Photo courtesy of  Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority)Next step for new bridge plaza. May 01, 2017. (Photo courtesy of Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority)
Windsor

Jobless rate rises to 5.5 per cent in March

Statistics Canada's latest Labour Force Survey says the jobless rate in Windsor rose 0.3 per cent last month compared to February.

It was 5.5 per cent, up from 5.2 per cent the month before.

However, the Labour Participation Rate also increased from 62.1 per cent in February to 62.9 per cent in March, a sign that more people were looking for work.

That rate has been steadily increasing over the past year. This month's report says the percentage of people who joined the labour market since March 2018 has risen 2.7 per cent.

Ontario's unemployment rate rose by 0.2 per cent in March. Statistics Canada says more people were looking for work across the province boosting the jobless rate to 5.9 per cent. Year-over-year, employment in Ontario has grown by 175,000 positions.

Across Canada, the unemployment rate did not change. It remained at 5.8 per cent last month. Over the first quarter of 2019, it has added 116,000 net jobs, and 332,000 since this time last year, almost two-thirds of which are full-time.

More people over the age of 55 found employment resulting in a 5.5 per cent unemployment rate for older workers. For women aged 25-54, the rate increased slightly by 0.2 per cent to 4.7 per cent, while for men it remained unchanged in March at 4.9 per cent.

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