Statistics Canada says the Kootenay unemployment rate was 7.7 per cent in May.
That was the highest rate in BC and it was up slightly from 7.5 per cent for the same time in 2016.
The number of people working in our area grew from 67,000 to 72,000
The number looking for work also grew from 5,500 to 6,000.
The BC unemployment rate was 5.5 per cent and the national rate 6.6 per cent.