The Kootenay unemployment continues to rise.

Statistics Canada says it was 6.7 per cent last month, an increase of four-tenth’s a point from April when it came in at 6.3 per cent.

The rate has increased steadily since January, jumping a full three percent from the 3.7 per cent figure at the start of the year.

The federal agency also says there were about 84,300 people with jobs in the Kootenay region during May, an increase of about 170.

However, the additional 500 job seekers when compared to the month before is responsible for the higher jobless rate.

According to Statistics Canada, there were about 6,100 Kootenay residents looking for work, with the workforce increasing from about 88,200 in April to about 90,400 in May.

BC’s unemployment rate now ranks fifth among the provinces after inching up to 6.4 per cent after it was 6.2 in April.

Saskatchewan has the lowest jobless rate at 4.2 per cent followed by Quebec (5.8 per cent), Manitoba (5.9 per cent) and New Brunswick (6.3 per cent).

In Canada, the unemployment rate crawled up to 7.0 per cent in May despite adding 8,800 jobs. It was 6.9 per cent in April.

Here is a breakdown of all the provinces:

• Saskatchewan 4.2 per cent
• Quebec 5.8 per cent
• Manitoba 5.9 per cent
• New Brunswick 6.3 per cent
• British Columbia 6.4 per cent
• Nova Scotia 6.5 per cent
• Nova Scotia 6.3 per cent
• Alberta 7.4 per cent
• Ontario 7.9 per cent
• Prince Edward Island 8.2 per cent
• Newfoundland and Labrador 9.7 per cent

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