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NUNAVUT
Fewer people are unemployed in Nunavut this year, Statistics Canada data shows, as the unemployment rate for the territory declined by 2.6 per cent.

A panoramic view of North Country Gold's Three Bluffs gold project Hayes camp. The project, located about 300 km north of Baker Lake, is one seasonal employer in Nunavut. - photo courtesy of North Country Gold

The Nunavut unemployment rate now stands at 16.6 per cent, more than double the national unemployment rate of 7.4 per cent, representing a need for more sustainable employment in the territory, said Hamlet of Gjoa Haven interim economic development officer Joseph Aglukkaq.

"It's always nice to hear of employment going up in Nunavut but I believe there could be more done," Aglukkaq said. "There is definitely lots of work to be done."

Compared to data collected in June 2010, about 500 more positions were recorded in June 2011. While the Nunavut Bureau of Statistics said information on the specific sectors or industries where employment is increasing is not available, Aglukkaq said the exploration sector is one of the main employers in the region, but more sustainable work options are needed. About seven Gjoa Haven residents have been hired for exploration work at North Country Gold's Three Bluffs project, Aglukkaq said, but the work is only seasonal.

Teddy Eleehetook, 37, was recently hired as a camp helper at the gold project, after passing his resume around for weeks. Eleehetook said he has been doing seasonal work for about ten years, but he enjoys it.

"The money's good, the food's good and meeting new people is great," Eleehetook said. "And you get to work with people from other communities in Nunavut. It's pretty nice to learn and work together."

Aglukkaq says most seasonal workers are hired from outside the territory, and the focus should be on creating more local employment through projects like regional fisheries and small-scale meat plants.

"These are the investments that are required if we want to fight poverty," Aglukkaq said. "Employment is one of the main factors that help eliminate poverty, but if it's transient workers it's not really helping our economy."

June statistics show about 2,400 people aged 15 and over were unemployed over the second quarter of this year, with Inuit comprising the majority of these at 2,200 unemployed. Last year, 2,700 were unemployed, 2,500 of them Inuit.

The unemployment rate also declined in the Yukon by 1.6 per cent, and now stands at 6.3 per cent. The unemployment rate in the Northwest Territories -- at 8.1 per cent -- was little changed, Statistics Canada said.

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