LOCAL NEWS, DELIVERED DAILY. Subscribe to our daily news wrap and get the top stories sent straight to your inbox every evening.
After rising to as high as 8.7 per cent in May, Nanaimo's unemployment rate settled to 6.4 per cent in July, according to newly released Statistics Canada data. (Image Credit: File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)
positive trend

Nanaimo area’s unemployment rate dips again: Stats Canada

Aug 8, 2026 | 9:42 AM

NANAIMO — Unemployment data for the Nanaimo area continues trending in the right direction.

The Nanaimo area’s jobless rate for for a third straight month to 6.4 per cent, down from 7.4 per cent in May.

The unemployment rate was as high as 8.7 per cent in Nanaimo in April.

BC Jobless rate fell in July to 6.2 per cent from 6.5 per cent the prior month as Canada’s job numbers beat economists’ expectations.

Ravi Kahlon, the province’s jobs and economic growth minister, relayed in a statement that the province added almost 18,000 jobs to outperform adverse economic conditions brought on by U-S tariffs and global trade uncertainty.

Nationally, Statistics Canada reported the country added 75,000 jobs last month, pushing the jobless rate fell to 6.4 per cent, its lowest point in two years.

Local news. Delivered. Free. Subscribe to our daily news wrap and get our top local stories delivered to your email inbox every evening.

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

Follow us on: Twitter (X) | Bluesky | Facebook