P.E.I. job numbers fail to keep up in 2015

The unemployment rate on P.E.I. fell below 10 per cent in December, but the news was not enough for 2015 to live up to the promise of the closing months of 2014.

In the last half of 2014 the province posted some of the best numbers since the 1970s.

Workforce Minister Richard Brown credited 2014 celebrations on the Island for the strong numbers in that year, and said a slowing down of the economy nationally made that difficult to sustain through last year.

But he added he is hearing a lot of optimism from employers going into 2016.

"We continue to have high exports on Prince Edward Island," said Brown.

"With the low U.S. dollar and the growing U.S. economy we see a great potential here."

By the numbers

The unemployment rate fell from 10.4 per cent in November to 9.7 per cent in December, but all on the back of a smaller workforce. There were actually fewer jobs in December 72,900 than in November 73,500. But because there were fewer people looking for work last month the unemployment rate fell.

In the last half of 2014 the unemployment rate averaged under 10 per cent, and the average number of jobs was more than 74,000.

In 2015, the average number of jobs was closer to 73,000, and the average unemployment rate was 10.47 per cent.