British Columbia’s labour market picked up in December with a 0.5-per-cent gain following a flat November. This translated to 14,100 more people working compared with the previous month. That said, labour market patterns have weakened, with year-over-year hiring trending lower to a dismal 0.2 per cent. December’s increase was well below the national performance of two per cent. The unemployment rate rose to six per cent from 5.7 per cent in November, as B.C.’s labour force expanded by 0.7 per cent to a level above employment growth.

Part-time employment growth offset a full-time employment decline of 0.3 per cent or 7,400 people. Part-time employment grew by 3.8 per cent or 21,500 people.

By sector, the services-producing industries led the increase in employment, with an overall 0.7-per-cent increase, offsetting the........

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