Brantford-Brant recorded the highest unemployment rate in five years in August as an influx of additional people sought work.

The local jobless rate jumped 1.6 per cent in August to 9.4 per cent, the highest it has been since August 2020 during the pandemic when it hit 11 per cent, according to Statistics Canada’s seasonally adjusted figures released Friday.

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Canada’s August unemployment rate climbed to 7.1 per cent due to a loss of 66,000 jobs, most of which were part time. Ontario lost an estimated 26,000 jobs, but August’s unemployment rate fell to 7.7 per cent as fewer people searched for work.

Contrary to Canada as a whole, Brantford-Brant did not lose jobs in August. And in contrast to Ontario, more people were searching for work in the Brantford area last month

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