The tepid pace of B.C. hiring continued in September as payroll counts captured by the Survey of Employment, Payroll and Hours (SEPH) were virtually unchanged, slipping 0.3 per cent or about 800 positions on both a month-to-month and year-over-year basis. With ongoing trade and investment uncertainty, and weakness in economic pillars like housing and forestry, employers have kept a lid on expanding their headcounts. B.C. payroll counts have held range-bound since late 2023. While counts fluctuate, national payrolls outperformed B.C. with a 0.5 per cent year-over-year increase.

A scan of payroll counts for classified businesses pointed to a mixed but weak picture in the economy with goods-producing sectors deteriorating.

Manufacturing declined 1,150 positions or 0.8 per cent over the latest month, and by nearly 3,500 positions (2.4 per cent) over the past year. This looks to be trade induced, and possibly a result of forestry weakness.........

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