There was a slight rise in the London area's unemployment rate last month.
Figures released by Statistics Canada on Friday show the jobless rate in the London census metropolitan area, which includes London, St. Thomas, Strathroy, and other surrounding communities, increased to five per cent in May, up from 4.8 per cent the previous month. For the fourth consecutive month, the region's workforce saw declines with the number of people looking for work down by 3,700. In April that number fell by 3,800 people.
Nationally, the unemployment rate hit a record low. It dropped to 5.4 per cent last month compared with 5.7 per cent in April. That is the lowest level it has been at since comparable data became available in 1976, according to Statistics Canada. The economy also saw 27,700 net new jobs added.
Provincially, the jobless rate dropped to 5.2 per cent, from six per cent in April as the province added 21,000 new jobs.
