iN NUMBERS: Unemployment has nearly doubled in Kelowna and Kamloops this year

At the start of 2025, Kelowna and Kamloops had low unemployment rates compared to the rest of the province. Only Victoria with its warm winters and government offices had a lower unemployment rate. Over the course of the year Kelowna and Kamloops saw unemployment spike.

Here are the numbers from Statistics Canada:

• 4.9: Per cent was the unemployment rate in Kelowna in January 2025.
• 9.3: Per cent was the unemployment rate in Kelowna in October 2025. 
• 4.8: Per cent was the unemployment rate in Kamloops in January 2025. 
• 9.6: Per cent was the unemployment rate in Kamloops in October 2025. 
• 6.6: Per cent was the provincial unemployment rate in October.
• 0.5: Per cent is how much the provincial unemployment rate rose between January and October. 
• 6.9: Per cent was the national unemployment rate in October. 
• 0.3: Per cent is how much the national unemployment rate rose between January and October.
• 1,557,300: People were unemployed in Canada in October. That’s down from 1.6 million in September. 
• 14.1: Per cent of youth ages 15 to 24 were unemployed in Canada in October. 

Here’s a chart to show the timeline of unemployment rates in Kelowna and Kamloops outpacing the rest of B.C. over the course of the year. If you missed it the first time, just hit the replay button.