The unemployment rate in the London region has dropped to a level not seen since the start of the COVID-19 crisis.
According to figures released Friday by Statistics Canada, the jobless rate for the London Census Metropolitan Area fell to 7.7 per cent in December. That is down from 8.4 per cent in November.
Roughly 3,700 jobs were added to the London region, which includes St. Thomas, Strathroy, and other surrounding communities. Statistics Canada said the labour force grew by 1,900.
The participation rate, which reflects the percentage of working-age individuals employed or looking for work, rose slightly to 61.7 per cent in December, from 61.4 per cent the previous month.
The number of people employed reached a total of 260,200.
London Mayor Ed Holder praised the resilience of the local economy which was hard hit by COVID-19 lockdowns last spring. At its worst, the public safety measures that shuttered countless businesses and restaurants for months led to the region's highest unemployment rate in nearly 20 years when it hit 12.6 per cent in June.
"Since March 2020, when the first lockdown occurred, London's economy has recorded the second fastest and most robust recovery in all of Ontario with respect to jobs. This is a testament to the dedication, and ingenuity of our local employers and the work ethic of Londoners," Holder said in a statement.
He went on to note that London is one of only four communities in Ontario to end 2020 with more jobs created than in the same month a year earlier. Kingston, Oshawa, and Guelph were the other Ontario cities to achieve this.
Despite the positive figures released Friday, Holder cautioned tough times may still be ahead due to the province's current lockdown which took effect on Boxing Day.
"That is why it's so important to continue supporting local businesses like never before: curbside pickup, online gift cards, delivery... there are many ways to do so safely," said Holder. "The best way to support local businesses, however, is doing your part to control COVID-19. The more we hold ourselves and each other accountable, the sooner we'll reverse the current trajectory of cases, and the sooner our businesses can re-open."
Nationally, the unemployment rate went up a percentage point to 8.6 per cent, from 8.5 per cent in November. The slight increase came as the country lost approximately 63,000 jobs in December.
Ontario's jobless rate climbed to 9.5 per cent in December.
