The jobless rate held steady in northwestern B.C. in October compared to September, Statistics Canada on Nov. 8.
For both months, the jobless rate was 5.5 per cent and for both months, the rate was better than the provincial average.
So far this year the Northwest has enjoyed a steady reduction in the jobless rate with percentages now in the single digits, a situation improved from a year ago when the rate hovered in the low double digit range.
If the jobless rate held steady from September to October, so did the number of people in the workforce, indicates Statistics Canada.
The workforce number of 43,700 remained the same for both months from the North Coast to just this side of Vanderhoof, as did the number of people working at 41,300.
In September, the Northwest had the third lowest jobless rate in the province. In October, the northwest had the fourth lowest jobless rate.
The Kootenays posted the lowest jobless rate of any region in the province in October at 3.7 per cent with the Northeast coming in at 4.9 per cent and the Cariboo at 5.4 per cent.
In October the provincial jobless rate was 6.5 per cent and in September it was 6.2 per cent.
Employment was little changed for the second consecutive month across Canada, reported Statistics Canada, and the unemployment rate remained at 6.9 per cent in October.