B.C.’s economy added 7,800 jobs last month, with gains coming mostly in the hospitality, education, and arts and culture sectors, according to Statistics Canada .

It was the largest increase since May but not nearly enough to offset the previous two months of job losses. The province shed 32,000 jobs in July and August.

“B.C. leads Canada in private-sector job growth and is holding steady working to build an economy that can stand on its own two feet,” Ravi Kahlon, the minister of jobs and economic growth, said in a statement. “Year over year, B.C. has seen an increase of 48,600 jobs.”

Gavin Dew, the Conservative critic for small business and innovation, countered by saying: “This government keeps trying to claim B.C.’s economy is strong. But the numbers tell a very different story,

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