The Kootenay unemployment rate was essentially unchanged last month, coming in at 8.4 per cent versus 8.3 per cent in January.
Statistics Canada says 70,000 people were working, while 6,400 were looking for work. The overall population was estimated at 127,000.
The local jobless rate was 9.4 per cent in February 2010, but the decline is due to a shrinking labour force. The figures cover both the East and West Kootenays.