Newfoundland and Labrador unemployment rate rises to 9.3 per cent in July

Newfoundland and Labrador’s unemployment rate rose to 9.3 per cent in July, up 1.1 percentage points from June, according to new figures from Statistics Canada.

The increase came as Canada’s unemployment rate moved in the opposite direction, falling 0.1 percentage points to 6.4 per cent.

The national unemployment rate was the lowest recorded since July 2024.

Across Canada, wholesale and retail trade recorded the largest employment increase in July, adding 21,000 jobs, or 0.7 per cent.

Despite the monthly gain, employment in the industry was down by 50,000 jobs, or 1.7 per cent, compared with July 2025. Statistics Canada said the decline largely reflected a downward trend observed between January and May 2026.

The July figures showed a widening gap between Newfoundland and Labrador and the national unemployment rate, with the provincial rate 2.9 percentage points higher than Canada's.