Unemployment rises in Chilliwack and Abbotsford-Mission

According to the latest Labour Force Survey (LFS), Canada lost 66,000 jobs in August 2025 in addition to the 41,000 jobs lost in July. Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta experienced the most significant unemployment increases in Canada. B. C. lost 16,000 jobs, Ontario lost 26,000, and Alberta lost 14,000. B.C.’s unemployment rate rose to 6.2%, up from 5.9% in July. 

In the Fraser Valley, unemployment increased in the Chilliwack and Abbotsford-Mission regions. Chilliwack’s unemployment rate increased from 5.6% to 6.1% while Abbotsford-Mission edged up from 6.4% to 6.8%.  

“The unemployment rate rose 0.2 percentage points to 7.1% in August. Since January 2025, it has increased 0.5 percentage points. The unemployment rate in August was the highest since May 2016 (excluding 2020 and 2021). In comparison, the unemployment rate averaged 6.0% from 2017 to 2019, just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the report said. 

The report added that there are 1.6 million people currently unemployed in Canada, and the layoff rate was 1%. 

“Those who were unemployed in July continued to face difficulties finding work in August. Just 15.2% of those who were unemployed in July had found work in August, lower than the corresponding proportion for the same months from 2017 to 2019 (23.3%) (not seasonally adjusted),” the report said. 

The most significant losses were in scientific and technical services jobs (-26,000; -1.3%), followed by transportation and warehousing (-23,000; -2.1%). 

This month’s survey highlighted the prevalence and increase in underemployment throughout Canada, emphasizing time-related underemployment. Time-related underemployment occurs when employees want to work more hours than those offered. 

“In August 2025, the LFS asked workers if they would have preferred to work more, less, or the same number of hours during the LFS reference week, for the same rate of pay. Among all employed people, 8.8% were considered in time-related underemployment in August—that is, they would have preferred to work more hours and were available to do so (population aged 15 to 69, not seasonally adjusted). The underemployment rate was higher among part-time workers (23.0%) than among full-time workers (6.2%),” the report said. 

Ravi Kahlon, B.C. minister of jobs and economic growth, released a statement on Sept. 5 commenting on the latest LFS. As in his comments in July, Kahlon blamed the U.S. tariffs for the country’s economic struggles. 

“Overall, B.C.’s total employment decreased by 15,700 (-0.5%) in August, including a decrease of 10,500 in educational services, which is typical in summer months, and is expected to rebound in September. Year over year, B.C. has gained 26,900 jobs compared to August 2024,” Kahlon said in his statement. 

“Our unemployment rate is 6.2%, the fourth-lowest in Canada and below the national average of 7.1%. B.C. continues to lead the country with an average hourly wage of $37.58, the second-highest among provinces, and up 3.6% compared to this time last year.”

While the average hourly wage in B.C. may be higher than in other parts of Canada, the province also has some of the highest living costs. 

“Specifically, $1.00 spent in British Columbia purchased the equivalent amount of goods and services as $0.82 spent in New Brunswick,” Statistics Canada said.