Unemployment in Canada has reached a recent high and British Columbia is the only province with job numbers increasing, according to Statistics Canada.

The unemployment rate rose in February, for the third consecutive month, taking it to 7.3 per cent for the first time since March 2013.

Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island registered employment declines, whereas British Columbia had an increase.

Photo Credit: Statistics Canada.

With 14,000 new workers, British Columbia was the only province with more people working in February, than the month before.

The employment rate is 3 per cent higher than last year with 69,000 more people employed, the highest rate of growth of all the provinces.

In fact, B.C. has led growth across the country since June 2015. The unemployment rate in the province was 6.6 per cent in February, the same as it was in January.

Employment fell in health care and social assistance, educational services, and natural resources, and other sectors. In the same time, more people started working in construction, business, building, and agriculture.

Adjusted to compare international job markets, the unemployment rate in Canada was 6.2 per cent in February versus 4.9 per cent in the U.S. In the past year, the unemployment rate has went up in Canada, while it’s decreased almost a full percentage point in the U.S.

In February, the U.S.-adjusted employment rate in Canada stood at almost 62 per cent, compared with almost 60 per cent in the U.S.