Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs and Economic Growth, has issued the following statement on the release of Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey for September 2025:

“B.C. and Canada are facing serious challenges in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump’s attacks on our economy and sovereignty. Tariffs and economic uncertainty are large challenges for certain sectors and regions throughout the province.

“Despite these challenges, B.C. leads Canada in private-sector job growth and is holding steady working to build an economy that can stand on its own two feet.

“Today’s Labour Force Survey numbers for September show an increase of 7,800 jobs, compared to last month in B.C., with the largest increases in manufacturing, accommodation and food services. Year over year, B.C. has seen an increase of 48,600 jobs.

“B.C. leads the country in year-over-year private-sector job growth, with a gain of nearly 56,000 jobs since September 2024, demonstrating the strength and resilience of B.C. businesses.

“Our unemployment rate is 6.4%, below the national average of 7.1%. B.C. continues to lead the country with an average hourly wage of $37.94, the second highest among provinces, and up 3% compared to this time last year.

“Our government is focused on standing up for people in British Columbia and plan to introduce more than a dozen bills this session. This includes a bill that will ensure the North Coast Transmission Line plays a key role in building an economy that’s less reliant on the United States and creates good jobs.

“In this session, we will also work to protect what makes us strong – delivering strong universal public health care, child care and homes people can afford that are the foundation of a strong economy.

“We will continue leveraging B.C.’s strengths to be the economic engine of Canada, moving major projects forward, helping to create good family-supporting jobs and strengthening the province’s economy.”

Learn More:

To learn more about B.C.’s response to tariffs, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/tariffs

To learn more about B.C.’s proposed legislation that will ensure contractors, subcontractors   and workers are paid fairly and on time, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025AG0052-000962

To learn more about B.C.’s proposed legislation to make online versions of B.C. laws official, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025AG0050-000943

To learn more about B.C.’s proposed legislation to enable school districts in B.C. to support families with more child care on school grounds, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025ECC0041-000970

To learn more about B.C.’s proposed legislation to make amendments for the Public Guardian and Trustee Act and Insurance (Vehicle) Act, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025AG0053-000963

To learn more about B.C.’s proposed legislation to strengthen support for post-secondary communities in preventing and responding to sexual violence, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025PSFS0041-000956

To learn more about B.C.’s proposed legislation to make amendments to the Intimate Images Protection Act (IIPA), visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025AG0051-000960