An increase of 20,000 jobs in BC for June is a positive sign for the economy, though the BC Federation of Labour says that underneath the strong monthly results reported today by Statscan are continued challenges addressing the high level of part time work in the province’s overall employment numbers.
“All of the new jobs created were full time which tend to be higher paying and better able to support families and communities, so that’s a good thing” says BCFED President Irene Lanzinger.
Though Statscan reported a small drop in June part-time employment, Lanzinger cautions that BC continues to have the highest level of part-time work as a percentage of overall employment of any province in Canada. “The propensity of low-paying part-time jobs in our economy is an ongoing issue for business, government and labour to address,” she says.
Meanwhile, Lanzinger says the numbers also show job growth continues to be concentrated in Vancouver. “The Lower Mainland is booming, but other regions aren’t enjoying the benefits of employment gains,” she says.
Related to jobs, Lanzinger notes that wage data released separately by Statscan shows that BC ranks fifth in Canada in Canada for average weekly earnings, while the province has the highest cost of living in Canada. “It’s a sign of a disconnect in our job market and helps explain why issues around affordability figured prominently for working people in the May provincial election,” she says.
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