PRINCE GEORGE, British Columbia, Dec. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to BC Check-Up: Work, an annual report by the Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC) on labour market trends across the province, the unemployment rate in the Cariboo region was 8.3 per cent in November 2025, up 2.7 percentage points from one year earlier.
“2025 was a difficult year for workers and businesses in the region,” noted Corey Naphtali, CPA, CA, partner at KPMG Canada in Prince George. “The employment rate was among the lowest in the province in November, which historically has not been the case.”
Cariboo employment fell 4.5 per cent year-over-year to 78,800 people in November 2025, due to a decline in full-time work (-5,200 workers; -7.5 per cent), while the number of people working part-time rose modestly. As a result, the employment rate fell 2.9 percentage points to 55.6 per cent.
According to the latest data from the third quarter of 2025, Cariboo employers were hiring for 2,955 vacant positions, down 21.5 per cent compared with the third quarter of 2024.
“We’ve seen vacancies and labour force participation decline at the same time, reflecting softer labour market conditions," continued Naphtali. “Some industries have been more resilient than others.”
As of November 2025, there were 58,000 people working in the Cariboo’s services sector, 5,700 fewer than in November 2024. Educational services (-3,700 workers; -44.6 per cent) and public administration (-1,800 workers; -35.3 per cent) accounted for the bulk of the decline, while accommodation and food services employment also trended lower.
Conversely, employment in the goods-sector totalled 20,800 people, rebounding slightly after a downturn in 2024. Gains were concentrated in the construction industry (+2,400; +40.0 per cent), while natural resources employment edged lower. Overall, the Cariboo’s good’s sector employed 3,900 fewer people (-15.8 per cent) than it did two year’s earlier in November 2023.
“U.S. trade action has exacerbated some long-standing challenges in the forestry sector and led to layoffs, including the mill closure in 100 Mile House," concluded Naphtali. “Because forestry is such a crucial industry for our local economy, there have also been knock-on effects on other industries.”
To learn more, visit www.bccpa.ca.
About CPA British Columbia
The Chartered Professional Accountants of British Columbia (CPABC) is the training, governing, and regulatory body for over 40,000 CPA members and 6,000 CPA candidates and students. CPABC carries out its primary mission to protect the public by enforcing the highest professional and ethical standards and contributing to the advancement of public policy.
