The jobless rate in the Kootenays rose slightly last month.
Statistics Canada pegged unemployment at 8.6 per cent in July, compared to 8.3 per cent in June.
Just over 70,000 people were working in the East and West Kootenays, while 6,600 were looking for work.
That's a bit better than July 2010, when the unemployment rate was nine per cent.
Province-wide the rate was unchanged last month at 7.3 per cent.