Canada added 74,000 jobs in September, and the unemployment rate fell to 6.8 percent — the lowest since December 2008, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released today by Statistics Canada. Adjusted to US standards, the unemployment rate in Canada was 5.9 percent — the same as in the US.

Most of the jobs added in September, 69,300, were full time; the other 4,800 jobs were part time. Total employment was 17.9 million.

Self-employment fell 55,600, but that was more than offset by a gain of 129,600 non-self employed jobs for the gain of 74,000. Most of the non-self employed jobs, 123,600 were added in the private sector; the public sector added 6,000 jobs.

Among the provinces, Ontario, the most-populated, added 24,700 jobs; 19,100 were full time and 5,600 were part time. The unemployment rate in September was 7.1 percent.

Saskatchewan posted the lowest unemployment rate among all provinces at 3.5 percent in September.

Ontario added the most jobs in September; Alberta added the second most with 21,200 new jobs.

“Canada posted solid job numbers today, and that is good news for the economy,” said Bob Funk, CEO of Express Employment Professionals. “That said, the labor force participation rate remains stubbornly unchanged. Too many working age people have given up looking for work, and as our franchisees across Canada try and fill thousands of jobs every day, that remains a concern. We have to continue to try and get people back into the workforce.”