Regional unemployment flat month to month, still relatively high

Jun 5, 2026 | 11:30 AM

The economic region that includes Vernon has seen the unemployment rate stay stable, but still quite high.

Statistics Canada said the unadjusted unemployment rate for the Thompson-Okanagan economic region was 8.1 per cent in May. That was unchanged from the rate recorded in April, and also the highest the rate had been since November, when it also hit 8.1 per cent.

Comparatively , the regional unemployment rate in May of 2025 was 6.8 per cent.

Meanwhile, the regional unadjusted employment rate was 55.2 per cent in May. That was up from April’s rate of 54.8 per cent, and also above the 54.5 per cent rate seen in May of 2025.

StatsCan did not provide data specific for Vernon, but did have adjusted rates for Kelowna.

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The data collection agency said the Central Okanagan city had an unemployment rate of 9.0 per cent, marking a spike from the rate of 8.0 per cent in April. That was also the highest it’s been since the previous November when local unemployment hit 10.4 per cent.

Kelowna’s adjusted employment rate was also recorded at 58 per cent, up from 57.7 per cent the month before.

Meanwhile, B.C. as a whole had an adjusted unemployment rate of 6.8 per cent, and an employment rate of 60.5 per cent.

The provincial unemployment rate was unchanged on a monthly basis, while employment was up from April’s rate of 60.0 per cent.

“[Statistics Canada’s] Labour Force Survey shows that B.C. added 25,200 new jobs in May 2026, including 7,200 new jobs for youth, and the third straight monthly increase in construction and manufacturing – an increase of nearly 19,000 new jobs in those sectors over that time period,” Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth, said in a release.

“This reflects the record levels of rental housing construction seen in B.C., with 2025 rental housing starts triple what they were in 2015.

“Despite global challenges, investors continue to show confidence in B.C., with $88-billion worth of proposed major projects moving forward. Over the next three years these projects are expected to create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs across the province.”

Kahlon added there were 14,8000 new private sector jobs filled across B.C. in May, including 5,700 in accommodation and food services.

Meanwhile, StatsCan reported the national unemployment rate was 6.6 per cent in May while the employment rate was 60.7 per cent. Those were both improvements from April when unemployment was 6.9 per cent and employment was 60.5 per cent.

The agency said employment increased for women, men and youth in May, with a number of sectors taking on those workers including construction; information, culture and recreation; transportation and warehousing; and accommodation and food service. There were job declines in wholesale and retail trade across Canada during the latest reporting month.

by Liam Verster

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