B.C. unemployment rises

B.C.'s unemployment rate jumped sharply in December, according to numbers from Statistics Canada.

The latest figures indicate the rate reached 7.6 per cent, up from 6.9 per cent in November.

"The loss in jobs was among the largest monthly declines that we have seen in the last couple of years, so it was a surprising outcome," said Helmut Pastrick, the chief economist with the Central 1 Credit Union.

"It's not clear that this is the beginning of a trend. I see this large decline in December as something as a sample aberration."

Pastrick said a more complete picture will emerge when jobless figures are released for January and February.

He predicts only a marginal improvement in unemployment rates over the next 12 months.

Meanwhile, NDP finance critic Bruce Ralston said the big jump in unemployment suggests the HST has not been the big economic boost the government predicted.

"In December, B.C. lost over 10,000 construction jobs and since last December, employment in construction has fallen 3.5 per cent, so the promise of the single best thing that could be done for the economythe promise of jobshas so far proven to be completely false."

Ralston said the figures also confirm what he's been saying for yearsthat the Campbell government had no plan for the economy after the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

The national jobless rate remained unchanged from November to December at 7.6 per cent.