Kelowna one of the worst cities in Canada to find a job

KELOWNA – Kelowna went from being one of the easiest cities in the country to find a job to one of the hardest in just one year, according a labour market report card.

The BMO February Regional Labour Market Report says Kelowna’s unemployment rate went up to 7.6 per cent, from 4.6 per cent, for the month of January.

Statistics Canada says Kelowna’s population is one of the fastest growing in the country, but without enough jobs that's not necessarily a good thing. With many of Kelowna’s population employed in Alberta, the economic downturn there has meant more people looking for work here.

Combine that with the number of available jobs shrinking 2.2 per cent and Kelowna finds itself the second worst city in Canada to be unemployed.

The top five cities in the country to find work are Guelph, Regina, Vancouver, Quebec City and Edmonton, according to the report.

The national unemployment rate fell slightly to 7.2 per cent, however despite Kelowna dragging down the numbers, B.C. fared better than most provinces.

“B.C. churned out a modest 1,200 jobs in the month, but the 2.1 per cent year-over-year growth is head and shoulders above the rest of Canada,” the report reads.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infonews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.