B.C. adds 15,300 jobs in August as pandemic recovery continues

British Columbia's workers are slowly returning to employment as the recovery from the COVID-19 shutdown continues.

Last month the province added 15,300 jobs according to StatisticsCanada, 87 per cent of those full-time.

The manufacturing and agricultural sector accounted for more than 6,000 people who found work.

B.C.'sjobs total now sits at94.1 per cent of the pre-pandemic numbers registered inFebruary.

The unemployment rate shrunk for the third month in a row to 10.7 per cent in August, down from 11.1 per cent in July and 13 per cent in June.

Canada-wide, figures shows a slow but steady recovery from the enormous plunge in employment seen in March and April when COVID-19 restrictions first hit.

"I continue to be impressed by how resilient people in our province have been, both in responding to the virus and in supporting our businesses and workers," saidMinister of Jobs andEconomic Development Michelle Mungall.

StatisticsCanada says 246,000 jobs were added across the country in August, bringing the unemployment rate to 10.2 per cent.

The national jobs number, however,is still 1.1 million below the pre-pandemic total.