P.E.I. job numbers see first major drop in more than a year

December ended 2018 on a down note for labour markets on P.E.I., but the provincial economy still held on for a record eighth monthin a row with anunemployment rate below 10 per cent.

Seasonally adjusted numbers from Statistics Canada put the rate up to 9.6 per cent from 8.5. The next longest run of single-digit rates was six months, from August 1976 to January 1977.

The economy lost 1,200 jobs, the biggest monthly loss in more than two years. The province lost 1,900 jobs from May of 2017 to October2017, and has been on a general upward trend since.

The 75,500 jobs in December of this year is 800 more than in December of 2017.

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