B.C. adds 25,200 jobs in May as youth unemployment rises and political debate grows over labour market

British Columbia’s unemployment rate remains unchanged at 6.8 per cent after the province added 25,000 jobs.

British Columbia added 25,200 jobs in May, according to Statistics Canada, with gains spread across several sectors of the economy.

Construction and manufacturing continued a three-month stretch of growth, while transportation and warehousing added 10,200 jobs. Accommodation and food services rose by 5,700 positions as the province moved toward the summer travel season.

Jobs Minister Ravi Kahlon said the province is continuing to see strength in its labour market despite global pressures.

“As new and escalating tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump, combined with the ongoing war in Iran, continue to raise costs and create uncertainty for people and economies around the world, British Columbia is building a stronger, more resilient economy,” Kahlon said.

He pointed to ongoing gains in construction and manufacturing, private-sector job growth, and what he described as continued investor confidence tied to major projects moving forward across the province.

At the same time, the youth unemployment rate rose from 14.4 per cent to 15.3 per cent in May. The unemployment rate held steady at 6.8 per cent, but the total number of people out of work in B.C. ticked up to 212,200.

Opposition MLA Gavin Dew says the numbers show a different picture for young people trying to enter the workforce.

“We are facing a youth jobs crisis. You see it in the stats and you hear it from youth and their worried parents,” Dew said in a statement. “I’m getting more calls than ever from people desperately looking for summer jobs for their kids. More than 7,000 young people have left B.C. in the last year in search of greener pastures. We are watching our families and our future flee.”

Dew also pointed to Statistics Canada data showing public-sector employment has increased over the past year, while private-sector employment and self-employment have declined.

“This NDP government continues to bloat the bureaucracy while neglecting the private sector. They don’t have a growth strategy; they have a problem,” he said.

He also highlighted losses in sectors such as forestry, fishing, mining, and retail trade, which he says traditionally provide entry-level jobs for younger workers.

“We are hemorrhaging the kinds of resource jobs that pay big wages and the kinds of retail jobs that often give young people their first step on the ladder,” Dew said.

The province says it continues to focus on skills training and major project development as part of its long-term economic strategy.

B.C. continues to report the highest average hourly wage among provinces at $38.65, according to provincial data.