While the national unemployment rate did not change last month, both the provincial and local rates declined.
Statistics Canada says the unemployment rate held steady at 5.8 per cent in December as the economy added a total of 100 jobs.
The result came as the number of full-time jobs fell by 23,500 in December, offset by a gain of 23,600 part-time positions in the month.
The number of jobs in the professional, scientific and technical services sector rose by 45,700 in the month, while the number of jobs in health care and social assistance climbed by 15,500.
The wholesale and retail trade sector lost 20,600 jobs in December.
Statistics Canada says overall employment growth slowed in the second half of 2023, averaging 23,000 per month compared with 48,000 per month in the first six months of the year.
Locally, unemployment in the Belleville Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) fell from 4.9 per cent in November to four per cent last month.
The Belleville CMA includes Belleville, Quinte West, Stirling-Rawdon, and Tyendinaga/Deseronto.
In Ontario, the provincial rose two-tenths of a point to 6.3 per cent.
(With files from the Canadian Press)
