THE JOBS picture in the northwest shows signs of steadying out as winter approaches.
Statistics Canada listed 44,400 people as working in the region in November, virtually the same as the 44,800 listed as working in October.
The number of people working has been consistently above the 44,000 level for months, a contrast to even a year ago when the number of people working was in the 42,000 range.
The number of people considering themselves jobless fell from 4,000 in October to 3,700 in November.
All told, 48,100 people considered themselves part of the workforce in November, whether they are working or not, a drop from 48,800 in October.
Statistics Canada compiles its information for the northwest by interviewing people over the age of 15 from the north coast to just west of Vanderhoof and is not a reflection of those collecting Employment Insurance.
Those considering themselves part of the workforce are people with a job or who are looking for work. People withdraw from the workforce for any number of reasons, not all of which are associated with having a job or not.
The jobless rate was pegged at 7.7 per cent, down from October's 8.2 per cent.
Across BC, the number of people working in November stood at 2,296,600, a slight drop from 2,299,8090 in October, putting the jobless rate at 6.3 per cent.
Broken down into regions, the Cariboo jobless rate was 6.9 per cent, a drop from 7.8 per cent in October and 8.1 per cent in September.
In the Kootenays, the November jobless rate was 6.4 per cent compared to 7.2 per cent in October and 8.1 per cent in September.
In the Okanagan, November's jobless rate was 6.9 per cent compared to 7.2 per cent in October and 7.3 per cent in September.