Greater Sudbury’s unemployment rate is 7.9 per cent, a slight decrease over the month of May when the rate was 8.1 per cent.
In comparison, a year ago, the unemployment rate was at 10.1 per cent, according to Statistics Canada’s monthly Labour Force Survey.
The Canadian economy nearly recovered the jobs lost during third wave lockdowns as restrictions rolled back and businesses expanded their payrolls faster than expected in June.
Statistics Canada said Friday the economy added 230,700 jobs last month after posting losses in April and May when public health restrictions were tightened to slow the pandemic.
The unemployment rate fell to 7.8 per cent for June compared with 8.2 per cent in May, which Statistics Canada said was the lowest of the pandemic since the 7.5 per cent recorded in March.
Employment growth was entirely in part-time work and concentrated among youth aged 15 to 24.
After falling by 143,000 over the previous two months, full-time work was little changed.
Employment increased in June in the nation's three largest provinces — Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia — and in Nova Scotia. In contrast, employment declined in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island. There was little change in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Alberta.
Following two months of losses, employment in Ontario rose by 117,000 (+1.6 per cent) in June, as strict public health measures began to ease. Employment gains were mostly among youth and in part-time work. The largest increase was in retail trade, while gains also occurred in professional, scientific and technical services as well as accommodation and food services.
The unemployment rate fell 0.9 percentage points to 8.4 per cent.
