There was a slight increase in the unemployment rate in our area last month.

The Four County Labour Market Planning Board says that in January, the unemployment rate in the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region rose by 0.8 percentage points to 4.5 percent.

They say employment decreased by 5 thousand with both full-time losses and part-time losses.

The number of Goods-producing sector employees decreased by 900 in the region with the greatest losses in construction and agriculture which were partially offset by gains oin manufacturing and utilities.

Provincially, the unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points to 5.2 percent.