New Brunswick lost 1,800 jobs in August, pushing the unemployment rate to 10.4 per cent in August, according to Statistics Canada.

The national agency released its monthly labour force survey on Friday that showed the province’s unemployment rate topped 10 per cent for the second consecutive month.

The provincial economy shed 1,700 full-time jobs and 100 part-time jobs in August, according to Statistics Canada.

There were 351,900 people employed in August compared to 353,700 in July.

The province’s labour force also dropped to 392,600 in August from 392,900 in the previous month.

New Brunswick’s unemployment rate hit 10.4 per cent in August, up from 10 per cent in July.

The labour force report had particularly gloomy economic news for Saint John.

The city’s unemployment rate hit nine per cent, up from 8.6 per cent in July, which is the second highest of any census metropolitan area in Canada.

Only Windsor, Ont., had a higher unemployment rate of Canada’s large cities. The southwestern Ontario city’s unemployment rate was 9.2 per cent in August.

Moncton’s unemployment rate also experienced an uptick in August. The southeastern New Brunswick city’s unemployment rate rose to seven per cent, up from 6.7 per cent in July.

Regional unemployment statistics

The Fredericton-Oromocto area still has the lowest unemployment rate of the province’s five regions. The capital-area region’s jobless rate stood at 6.4 per cent.

New Brunswick lost 1,800 jobs in August, according to Statistics Canada. (Canadian Press)

The Moncton-Richibucto region’s unemployment climbed to 7.7 per cent in August, from seven per cent in July.

The Saint John-St. Stephen area’s unemployment rate is getting close to the 10 per cent threshold. The region’s unemployment hit 9.8 per cent in August up from 9.4 per cent in July.

The remaining two economic regions in the province have hit the 10 per cent level.

The unemployment rate in Edmundston-Woodstock grew to 10 per cent in August compared to 9.3 per cent in July.

National figures

While New Brunswick’s economic news was dismal, the Canadian economy churned out 34,000 new jobs.

Statistics Canada reported most of those gains came in the form of new part-time jobs.

The national unemployment rate held firm at 7.3 per cent.