Canada's unemployment rate hits nine-year high

Canada's unemployment rate has hit its highest level in nearly nine years, with 1.6 million people unemployed in the country. Statistics Canada said in a report released today that the unemployment rate in May was 7 per cent, the third consecutive monthly increase in unemployment.

The total number of unemployed people last month was about 14 per cent higher than the same month a year ago, the statistics department said. This is mainly due to the fact that employment growth has remained almost stable amid a growing population, with no large-scale layoffs.

StatCan said that this level of unemployment was last seen in September 2016, excluding Covid. The report said that people are facing great difficulties in finding work in the current labour market.