The unemployment rate in London decreased last month. The jobless rate was 5.8 per cent in January, compared to 6.1 in December, according to Statistics Canada.
Meanwhile, Canada's employment level was virtually unchanged last month as a net gain in Ontario jobs was offset by losses in Alberta, Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Statistics Canada's latest survey says the national unemployment rate still crept up to 7.2 per cent from 7.1 per cent, as more people entered the job market.
It says there were 5,700 fewer jobs recorded but the number was within the survey's margin of error and not statistically significant.
Ontario was the only province to show significant growth as it added 19,800 net positions, including 16,300 full-time jobs. Compared to a year earlier, Ontario showed a net gain of 100,200 jobs, an increase of 1.5 per cent.
Despite the gains though, the provincial unemployment rate held steady at 6.7 per cent.
Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa admits, "some region are still hurting," and sectors like manufacturing are going through transitions.
And the report found a nationwide net increase in the services industry only partially made up for a drop in employment in the goods-producing sector.
The survey says the oil-producing provinces of Alberta and Newfoundland were among the hardest hit as their job losses climbed amid the severe oil-price slump.
With files from The Canadian Press
