British Columbia lost 20,200 jobs in September, with employment falling across Canada for a second consecutive month, according to Statistics Canada.
StatCan said it marks the first monthly decrease since March for the province.
B.C.’s unemployment rate was nearly unchanged at 6.4 per cent, down just 0.1 percentage from August.
The province’s job losses included 16,700 full-time positions.
Most of the losses were among the goods-producing sector as B.C. shed 9,800 construction jobs and 8,100 manufacturing positions.
Health care and social assistance jobs also fell by 6,800, and accommodations and food services roles were down by 5,300.
The largest job gains were in the business, building and other support services sector, which added 7,300 positions.
The information, culture and recreation sector also added 4,500 jobs.
Youth employment fell by 13,400 as students went back to school last month.
However, the youth unemployment rate declined by 0.3 percentage points, to 12.9 per cent.
Nationally, employment was down by 68,000 jobs in September, and Canada’s unemployment rate increased 0.1 points to 6.5 per cent.
B.C. NDP candidate for Vancouver-Renfrew, Adrian Dix, said Canada is seeing the impacts of Trump’s trade war.
“We need to continue to stand together as Team Canada and grow an economy that’s less dependent on the United States,” said Dix.
“The BC NDP will continue to stand up for BC workers by moving forward with major projects that are bringing in billions of dollars of investments and tens of thousands of jobs,” he said.
The B.C. Conservatives blamed the NDP government for the job losses, and said B.C. businesses need a change in direction.
“With a near $14 billion deficit, 40 tax increases, and no plan to grow the economy, we’re seeing the results of the NDP’s reckless plan,” said Gavin Dew, Conservative candidate for Kelowna-Mission.
