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Canada’s Employment Roughly Flat

September 09, 2011

Employment in Canada was roughly flat in August; employment fell by 5,500 jobs to 17.3 million in August from July, according to seasonally adjusted numbers reported today by Statistics Canada. The unemployment rate edged up to 7.3 percent in August from 7.2 percent in July.

August saw job losses in construction, transportation and warehousing, and natural resources. These declines were offset by an increase in healthcare and social assistance.

On a year-over-year basis, employment in Canada has grown by 1.3 percent, or 223,000 jobs. Most of that growth was in Ontario and Alberta, and among private-sector employees. Year over year, full-time employment rose 2.2 percent, or 300,000 jobs, while part-time work fell 2.3 percent (-77,000); total actual hours worked rose by 2.6 percent from August 2010.

Employment rose in Nova Scotia in August, while it declined in Newfoundland and Labrador and Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan posted the lowest unemployment rate among all provinces in August at 4.5 percent.