by Stats Canada says Cape Breton’s unemployment rate was 11.5% last month.
That’s up slightly from 11.3% in April but down from 15% in May of last year.
Nationally, the unemployment rate rose by a fifth of a percentage point to 5.2% last month, marking the first increase since August.
Statscan says there was little overall change in employment last month with a loss of 17,000 jobs.
The agency says there were fewer people working last month in business, building and other support services as well as professional, scientific and technical services.
It says employment rose in manufacturing, utilities and services such as maintenance.