Regional unemployment hit nearly 4.5 year high

Nov 7, 2025 | 11:54 AM

The economic region that includes Vernon and the North Okanagan saw unemployment soar last month.

Statistics Canada said the unadjusted unemployment rate for the Thompson-Okanagan was recorded at 7.3 per cent in October. That was up from the 6.0 per cent recorded in September, and was the highest unemployment rate on record since May of 2021 when the rate was 8.0 per cent.

Statsitcs Canada did not provide data specific for Vernon, but did have figures for Kelowna which showed the city’s unemployment rate hit a high not seen since the COVID pandemic.

StatsCan said Kelowna had an unemployment rate of 9.3 per cent in October.

That was up from the rate of 7.1 per cent in September, and was the highest it’s been since June of 2020 when the rate was recorded at 9.9 per cent.

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Though the Okanagan saw unemployment rise sharply in October, that wasn’t the case for the province or the country.

StatsCan said B.C. had an unemployment rate of 6.6 per cent in October, up from 6.4 per cent the month before.

“[The most recent] Labour Force Survey numbers for October show a slight decrease of 2,900 jobs, which includes decreases in construction and forestry – direct results of unjustified tariffs from the U.S.,” Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth, said in a release in response to the report from Statistics Canada.

“October’s job increases were seen in transportation and warehousing, which is encouraging news after two months of losses in the sector.

“Despite continued global economic uncertainty, longer-term trends demonstrate B.C.’s resilience, with a year-over-year increase of 36,100 jobs, including 27,400 more in the private sector.”

B.C. also recorded the fourth lowest unemployment rate in October after Quebec (5.3 per cent), Saskatchewan (5.5), and Manitoba (5.8).

Nationally, unemployment dipped to 6.9 per cent in October.

That was down from the rate of 7.1 per cent in September, though was above the rate of 6.6 per cent in October of 2024.

The national employment rate rose to 60.8 per cent in October from a rate of 60.6 per cent the month before.

StatsCan said employment increased by roughly 67,000 new jobs across Canada in October, marking the second consecutive month of job growth.

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by Liam Verster

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