Windsor unemployment rate remains highest in the country

The Welcome to Windsor sign on Riverside Drive in Windsor, Ont., on Sunday, May 3, 2020. (Melanie Borrelli / CTV Windsor)

Windsor has the highest unemployment rate in Canada for the second straight month, according to Statistics Canada.

The jobless rate was 8.3 in March, which is the same as it was in February.

Calgary has the second highest rate in the country at 7.7 per cent.

On a national level, Statistics Canada says the unemployment rate in March fell to its lowest rate on record as the economy added 72,500 jobs.

The agency says the unemployment rate fell to 5.3 per cent compared with 5.5 per cent in February.

Stats Can says the unemployment rate in March is lowest over comparable data going back to 1976.

Statistics Canada also says the unemployment rate would have been 7.2 per cent had it included in calculations people who wanted a job but did not look for one.

That's the first time that rate has fallen to its pre-pandemic level.

Driving the job gains in March were women over age 55 finding work, and men between 25 and 54 taking jobs, primarily part-time.

Provincially, the agency says gains were concentrated in Ontario and Quebec.

A portion of this report by The Canadian Press was first published April 8, 2022.