B.C. jobs decline in July: Women and youth most impacted

British Columbia lost about 16,000 jobs in July, mirroring a broader national decline.

Statistics Canada released its July Labour Force Survey on Friday, noting that the losses followed a gain of 13,000 jobs in May and little change in June. The majority of the decline in B.C. was among women aged 25 to 54.

The province’s unemployment rate rose to 5.9 per cent, compared with the national average of 6.9 per cent. Youth unemployment in B.C. reached just over 12 per cent.

Across Canada, employment fell by 40,800 in July, reversing the 83,000‑job gain seen in June. The employment rate dipped to 60.7 per cent.

Most national job losses affected youth aged 15 to 24. The unemployment rate for returning students under 24 stood at 17.5 per cent in July—the highest for that month since 2009, excluding July 2020.

In B.C., the services sector led losses with 8,400 jobs lost, including 4,200 in education. The goods‑producing sector shed 7,900 jobs, mostly in construction.

Jobs and Economic Growth Minister Ravi Kahlon said that despite the job losses, B.C. is faring relatively well amid U.S. tariff threats. He added the province has gained 21,400 full‑time jobs since January—the largest increase among provinces.

Statistics Canada data show B.C. is up 5,500 full‑time jobs compared with July 2024.