The unemployment rate jumped two points in January in Quebec as health measures tightened. At 6.8% in December, it was flat at 8.8% in January, according to Statistics Canada.
The federal agency notes that tightening measures across the country this winter have resulted in many job losses. The unemployment rate rose to 9.4%, an increase of 0.6 points.
212,000 jobs were lost in Canada in January, mainly in Quebec and Ontario. Statistics Canada notes that the impact of non-essential retail business in La Belle County has been particularly felt.
In doing so, Quebec alone recorded a loss of 98,000 jobs in January. The losses are concentrated in the part-time jobs; Already 92,500 have disappeared versus 5,500 full-time jobs. The number of unemployed increased by 30%, from 304,300 to 394,600.
Ontario, for its part, has an unemployment rate of 10.2%, up 0.6 points.
To the west, Alberta saw an improvement in its record. Its unemployment rate decreased by 0.4 percentage points to 10.7% in January.
But British Columbia was also shocked. Its unemployment rate rose to 8.0%, up 0.8 points.
Sophie Laurent is a contributor to Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting that helps readers stay informed about current events and issues that matter to their communities. Sophie is committed to presenting accurate information, practical insights, and relevant stories in a straightforward and reader-friendly manner, making complex topics accessible to a broad audience.