While the national rate fell, the local unemployment rose in December.
Statistics Canada says the economy added 104,000 jobs in December, bringing the unemployment rate down one tenth to 5.0 per cent.
That’s close to the record low of 4.9 per cent reached in June and July of last year.
The federal agency says the rise in employment was driven by an increase in full-time work.
The Belleville CMA which includes Belleville, Quinte West, Tyendinaga/Deseronto, and Stirling-Rawdon ended the year with a 5.6 per cent unemployment rate, up from 5.2 per cent in November.
The provincial rate dropped from 5.5 to 5.3 per cent.
