Chilliwack, Abbotsford-Mission unemployment rates swing up in April: StatCan

CHILLIWACK — April labour figures from Statistics Canada are pointing to a sharp uptick in joblessness across the region.

Abbotsford-Mission experienced seasonal job losses of roughly 1,300, with unemployment rising from 5.7 per cent in March to 6.5 in April.

Those rates now nearly match the provincial and national averages, at 6.8 and 6.9 per cent, respectively.

Chilliwack also lost 1,400 jobs and, despite a brief respite in March, saw unemployment increase from 6.0 back to 7.2 per cent – a 1.2-point spike from April 2025.

“British Columbia is down 40,200 jobs over the first four months of this year — and the bulk of that decline, 31,500 positions, is in full-time work,” said B.C. jobs critic and Kelowna-Mission MLA Gavin Dew. “These are not statistics. These are mortgages, rents, groceries, and futures.”

Utilities saw the largest annual spike (20.4%) among B.C. industries, despite losing 700 jobs in the past month. Agriculture also saw jobs drop by 1,400, but remains up by 19.2% year-over-year.

Transportation and warehousing lost 3,800 jobs in April, marking a sharp 15 per cent decline from the same period last year, while wholesale and retail trade industries saw a monthly dip of 7,700 (-5.6% YOY).

The most gains were seen in business, building and other support services at 6,600 (+4.1% YOY).

“April also saw an increase of 10,300 in self-employment, which demonstrates people’s confidence in starting their own businesses,” said Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth Ravi Kahlon in a statement released Friday.

“When it comes to our economy, people and businesses in B.C. have a lot to look forward to, with 35 proposed major projects moving forward, and major international events coming soon.”

Local industry data is not available in the jobs report. More details are available on StatCan’s April Labour Force Survey.

The minister pointed to the upcoming Web Summit Vancouver and FIFA World Cup as some of the biggest economic driver events in the province this year. The World Cup is expected to generate more than $1 billion in visitor spending for B.C.’s economy from 2026 to 2031.