Statistics Canada says B.C. gained 15,300 employed people in August, creating a slight drop in the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate from 11.1 per cent to 10.7.

While that91裸聊视频檚 the third month of improvement in a row, it91裸聊视频檚 less than June and July and making further gains won91裸聊视频檛 be easy, says Ken Peacock, chief economist for the Business Council of B.C. And the end of the federal government91裸聊视频檚 Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) is going to have an enormous impact.

91裸聊视频淚f this were normal times, a 15,000 upward movement would be quite good, even kind of strong,91裸聊视频� Peacock said in an interview with Black Press Media Sept. 4. 91裸聊视频淏ut in this current context, it91裸聊视频檚 such a dramatic pull-back from the previous couple of months. It speaks to exactly what we91裸聊视频檝e been concerned about, that the low-hanging fruit in terms of rehiring has been accomplished, and we91裸聊视频檙e going to see sluggish job growth from here on out.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淭his is going to force people back to work, but the question is are the jobs going to be there for them.91裸聊视频� - 's Ken Peacock

91裸聊视频� Tom Fletcher (@tomfletcherbc)

Peacock notes that 1.15 million people in B.C. applied for CERB since it was offered in spring, with few barriers to receiving $2,000 per month to offset lost income during the pandemic.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 45 per cent of the pre-COVID workforce, so nearly half of all employed people in B.C. at some point have claimed the CERB,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭his is going to force people back to work, but the question is are the jobs going to be there for them.91裸聊视频�

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Statistics Canada91裸聊视频檚 breakdown by city shows similar gains as the national job picture. Victoria91裸聊视频檚 unemployment rate went from 11.1 per cent to 10.3, Kelowna91裸聊视频檚 fell to nine per cent from 10 and Abbotsford-Mission barely moved from 8.3 per cent to 8.2.

CERB was originally to run out at the end of August, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a four-week extension on Aug. 20, with a promise of a transition to a revised program.

The federal government is making Employment Insurance more accessible and available for self-employed people, but it91裸聊视频檚 nowhere near a replacement for the CERB, Peacock said. And B.C.91裸聊视频檚 $1.5 billion business relief fund may sound like a lot but it is modest compared to the federal wage support and other pandemic programs that are also due to wind down.

tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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