New Brunswick's jobless rate jumps to 9.4% in December

New Brunswick's unemployment rate has jumped to 9.4 per cent in December, up from 8.7per cent in November, as the province's economy added 600 jobs,according to Statistics Canada.

The monthly labour force report showed 600 jobs were created overall. There were 1,400 full-time jobs added and 700 part-time jobs lost from November to December.

• 5,000 more New Brunswickers working in July, statistics show

There are 354,900 people employed in the province.In the last 12 months, New Brunswick has witnessed an increase of 2,100 jobs, according to the labour force report.

For the month of December, Statistics Canada foundthe Campbellton area had the highest unemployment rate, sitting at 14.6 per cent, up from 13 per cent in December 2015,and Monctoncame in second at 8.4 per cent, up from 6.9per cent. The Saint John area saw a December joblessrate of 7.3 per cent, compared with sevenper cent in December 2015.

Fredericton's unemployment rate is sittingat 5.6 per cent, a decrease from the 6.8 per cent a year earlier. The Edmundston area is at 5.2 per cent, down from 7.5 per cent a year earlier.

Louis-Philippe Gauthier, director of provincial affairs for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business,said that from a seasonal perspective, the numbers don't come as a surprise.

A business barometer issued by the grouprevealedthat in December, small businesses in New Brunswick indicated they were finishing on a weak note and 21 per cent of small businesses were looking to lay off staff in December. Thirteen per centwere looking to hire.

"There is a seasonal effect based on the data we have," he said. "Layoff intentions seem to go up as the year finishes."

He said layoff intentions started going up just before mid-year, following a similar pattern seen in 2015, 2014and 2013.

"There's more volatility now," he said.

Meanwhile, Canada added 54,000 jobs in December, bringing the total for 2016 to 214,000.

The economy actually added 81,000 full-time jobs during the month, but that was slightly offset by a loss of 27,000 part-time positions.

The report also revealed that Newfoundland and Labrador lost 1,600 jobsand Saskatchewan lost 1,100.

On the positive side, these provinces added jobs:

Quebec: 20,000.
B.C.:17,000.
Ontario: 9,100.
Alberta: 6,900.