B.C.'s unemployment rate up as job losses exceed national average

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B.C. shed 16,300 jobs in July, with the unemployment rate rising 0.3 percentage points to 5.9 per cent.

Jobs and Economic Growth Minister Ravi Kahlon blamed tariffs.

"Today's Labour Force Survey shows the impact of U.S. President Donald J. Trump's tariff threats is being felt across the country," Kahlon said in a prepared statement, "but B.C. will continue the work to defend workers and businesses against these threats, build a strong economy that's less reliant on the U.S. and create jobs for people in British Columbia."

B.C.'s biggest job losses were in construction, which shed 7,600 jobs, followed by education services, with 4,200 job losses, and healthcare and social services, with 3,200 lost jobs.

Nationally, employment fell by 41,000 in July, bu