The local unemployment rate rose in May as the national number decreased.
Statistics Canada says the unemployment rate for the Belleville-Quinte West Census Metropolitan Area, which includes Belleville, Quinte West, Deseronto-Tyendinaga and Stirling-Rawdon, rose almost a whole point from April, increasing from 6.6 per cent of 7.5 per cent.
Kingston’s number up just two tenths to 6.2 per cent and Peterborough remaining unchanged at 5.7 per cent.
The national rate, which economists expected to stay the same, dropped three tenths to 6.6 per cent in May as the economy added a surprise 88,000 jobs.
Ontario’s unemployment rate fell half a point from 7.5 to 7.0 per cent.
