THE NUMBER of people working in the northwest dropped in December 2011 compared to November 2011, indicates information from Statistics Canada.
December’s figure of 43,200 people working is a 1,200 drop from November’s employment figure of 44,400.
The drop in employment was reflected in the number of unemployed, which rose from 3,700 in November to 4,700 in December.
And that was enough to put the unemployment rate in the region at 9.8 per cent, the highest in the province and a jump over the 7 per cent range, which had been the norm for months.
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.