issue 1// vol 47 news // no. 5 BC's declining unemployment not yet felt in Vancouver >» Canadian economy slowly bouncing back to pre-COVID levels Jessica Berget Assistant Editor Ds Canada adding over 246,000 new jobs in the last month and BC’s unemployment rate also steadily declining, it’s still tough finding a job in Vancouver. It’s been six months since many people were laid off because of COVID-19 safety restrictions to stay home, but the economy is slowly and steadily bouncing back. According to a Statistics Canada labour force survey, BC’s unemployment rate reported the largest increase, which was 10.7 in August—down from 11.1 the month prior. The number of employed people increased in July by more than 15,000. Vancouver has also seen gains in employment in the last month when the unemployment rate for the city went down from 13.3 to 12.8. Yet, the number of people looking to go back into work has also increased. In a Global News article, it is reported that about 10,500 more jobs were created in Vancouver. However, the rate of people looking for work has also increased, still making it difficult for many workers to find positions. As a result, local unemployment grew from 11.6 percent in July to 12.4 percent to August, according to a Statistics Canada Labour Force table. The majority of job gains went to full-time positions which recording 206,000 more jobs. Part-time jobs rose from 40,000 from July. Employment rates also rose faster for women over men for the third consecutive month. Statistics Canada reports women gained 150,000 more positions in August while men gained about 96,000. The sectors of job also have scattered gains. Manufacturing jobs are up 6,000 since July, while more than 10,000 retail jobs have disappeared. Another 6,400 jobs have been created in the food and accommodation sector. The pace of job gains slowed in August as compared to July when 419,000 jobs were gained. Statistics Canada says August’s unemployment would have been more had it accounted for people who wanted to go back to work, but didn’t look for a job, presumably because of the economic shutdown from COVID-19. “These numbers this month, prove one more time, workers are prepared to go back to work provided there is work for them to go back to,” says Canadian Labour Congress President Hassan Yussuff. BC government will announce an economic recovery plan later in the Vancouver School Board offers optional at-home learning » General unrest as parents and teachers prepare for back to school during COVID-19 Jessica Berget Assistant Editor I: not easy sending your kids back to school—especially during a pandemic. For many concerned parents, the Vancouver School Board is making optional and transitional at-home learning modules for kids returning to school on September 10. The transitional option would allow students to begin the school year at home witha choice to switch to in-person learning. It would also allow them to keep their spots in their classes by doing all their work at home with weekly check-ins from their teachers. The decision was made after a survey by the BC government asking parents about their children’s return 3 © toschool. In the = survey, nearly 70 & percent of parents 8 said they planned oa on sending their kids back to school in September. Twenty nine percent said they would prefer at- home focused learning. But the parents who choose the at-home learning model may not be able to send their kids back to school till late September. In an article with Global News, Vancouver School Board Superintendent Suzanna Hoffman says this transitional program may not be available until September 21, stating that more time is needed to ensure everything is in place for the program to begin. This new transitional model was implemented due to many parents still feeling that letting their children return to school could be unsafe. According to the CBC, two BC fathers, Gary Shuster and Bernard Trest, are among the parents who still have concerns about the safety measures. On August 29, the two dads filed a lawsuit to the BC Supreme Court to curb schools from reopening until tougher safety measures have been put in place. They claim that the back-to-school plan now puts teachers, students, and the community at risk of endangerment. Failing to enforce mandatory face masks, physical distancing, reduced class sizes, and optional online learning are all things cited for contention of the new back to school plan. It’s not only the parents who feel unsafe. Many BC teachers are also feeling the anxiety of the back to school season. Both parents and teachers attended a rally month with decisions how and where to spend $2.5 billion—including money for transportation and other municipalities. Before the pandemic, BC’s unemployment rate was 5 percent. on August 29 to protest the back to school plan saying it does not address the safety issues and concerns raised by teachers and parents. Teachers have also called for tougher COVID-19 safety measures such as mandatory mask wearing, smaller class sizes, physical distancing, access to personal protective equipment, an option for at-home learning, as well as extra paid sick days for teachers in the case of an outbreak. Despite parents and teachers concerns, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry insists that per the safety guidelines put in place, it is okay for students to return to school. She says she is confident in the plan and that to prolong school for children any longer can have a lifelong impact on them. For those worried about the 50-person social distancing rule, Henry says schools do not have to follow the same guidelines as adult situations as they are controlled environments. “That will be in a small group, the same numbers of teachers and students and interaction is contained and limited, so it is a different situation,” she said ina North Shore News (NSN) article. Health Minister Adrian Dix and Dr. Bonnie Henry both stress that the recent increase in cases is no cause for concern with schools reopening. “We have 28 people in acute care as compared to 149 on April 5, and 10 people in critical care, as compared to 72 on April 5,” Dix said in the same North Shore News article.