I mapped the latest Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey numbers for every B.C. metro area (September 2026, three-month average).
This started as a post on my social channels. Here's that version.
Kamloops and Kelowna
The surprise winner: Kamloops. Unemployment there is 4.4%, down from 9.2% a year ago. At the other end, Kelowna sits at 9.3%, up from 7.1%.
Closer to home
Closer to home, Metro Vancouver is at 6.5%, right in line with Canada overall (6.5%) and B.C. (6.4%). The Fraser Valley is quietly improving too: Chilliwack dropped to 5.2% and Abbotsford-Mission to 6.8%.
These are three-month averages, so they differ from the single-month 7.1% Vancouver-area figure in Vancouver-area unemployment rose to 7.1% in September.
How to read the map
On the map, each city's colour shows its unemployment rate: green is under 5%, yellow is 5–6%, orange is 6–7% and red is 7% or higher. In the table, a green arrow means the rate fell over the past year and a red arrow means it rose.
Why it matters for real estate
Jobs decide where people move, and where people move decides where homes and rentals get snapped up. When I help families relocating to Greater Vancouver, the job question usually comes before the neighbourhood question.
One honest caveat: smaller cities' numbers swing a lot month to month, so treat this as a snapshot, not a verdict.
My take? Metro Vancouver is still B.C.'s biggest job market by a mile, and the Tri-Cities, BC, sit right in the middle of it, with SkyTrain into Vancouver and the Fraser Valley next door.
If you're a newcomer lining up a first move, my page for home buyers and the relocation rental service for tenants are the practical next step.
Would you move for a job, or find a job where you want to live?