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London jobless rate improves for second straight month as recovery continues

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London’s COVID-19-clobbered economy added nearly 7,000 new jobs in August, helping bring the region’s unemployment rate down by more than a percentage point – the second drop in the jobless rate in as many months.

After reaching a 20-year high in June at 12.6 per cent, the area’s unemployment rate was at 9.3 per cent in August, figures released Friday by Statistics Canada show. That’s down from 10.5 per cent in July.

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In total, the London census metropolitan area, which also takes in Strathroy, St. Thomas and portions of Middlesex and Elgin County, added 6,900 new positions in August, helping boost the total number of people employed to 250,800.

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The London region has added 18,100 jobs in the last two months, a number that also includes people who are returning to their jobs after being laid-off during the peak of the pandemic.

Despite the positive figures, the local economy has yet to recoup all the jobs lost since the beginning of pandemic-induced shutdown in March, a figured that reached 30,000 in June.

The economic recovery is also continuing across Ontario and across Canada.

Provincially, employment rose in August by 142,000, nearly all in full-time work, bringing Ontario’s unemployment rate down to 10.6 per cent from July’s 11.3 per cent.

Across Canada, employment rose in all provinces except Alberta and New Brunswick. The national economy added 246,000 jobs. The national jobless rate is now 10.2 per cent, down 0.7 percentage points from the month prior.

JOBLESS RATES: THE NUMBERS FOR AUGUST (JULY IN BRACKETS)

  • London: 9.3% (10.5%)
  • Ontario: 10.6% (11.3%)
  • Canada: 10.2% (10.9%)
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