Seen: Ontario unemployment rate climbs to 6.7 per cent in August

With summer drawing to a close, Ontario’s latest jobs numbers are a mixed bag.

Ontario’s unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points in August, according to Statistics Canada, up to 6.7 per cent. StatsCan said Friday that the increase can be chalked up to more people looking for work in the province. The participation rate of people joining the workforce inched up by 0.2 percentage points in August to 64.8 per cent.

But Ontario also gained about 10,500 jobs in August, including 8,600 full-time positions. The province was up about 37,200 jobs measured against last August.

However, private-sector employment fell by 10,400 jobs in August, while public-sector jobs rose by 42,600. Total public-sector employment last month was about 1.3 million, while the private sector was about 4.6 million.

Canada gained about 26,000 jobs in August compared to July, but the unemployment rate still ticked up by 0.1 percentage points to 7 per cent.

Finance Minister Charles Sousa said Ontario has now been below the national unemployment average for 16 straight months.

“Despite a volatile global economic environment, Ontario's economy continues to grow,” said Sousa at Queen's Park Friday. “And all these numbers and indicators are further proof that Ontario's plan is working.”

But Progressive Conservative economic development critic Monte McNaughton saw the numbers in a different light.

“These numbers and overall trends should frighten Ontario’s taxpayers,” said McNaughton in a statement. “It’s simply unsustainable to continue to grow the size and cost of government while continuing to shed thousands of private sector jobs."

Sousa said Monday's throne speech will reiterate the Liberal government's business-friendly approach, hinting at help to come for rising electricity rates.

“Stay tuned,” Sousa told reporters.

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