Employment in Canada fell by almost 19,000 month-over-month in December with employment still at more than 17.0 million, Statistics Canada reported today. And, although the number of jobs fell 0.1% between December and November, the number was still up 2.2% from December 2006.

The Canadian unemployment rate was 5.9% in December, unchanged from November. Canada's unemployment rate was at a 33-year low of 5.8% in October.

Employment in Ontario fell by 15,800 month-over-month in December to approximately 6.64 million while the unemployment rate rose to 6.5% in December from 6.2% in November.

Alberta continued to have the lowest unemployment rate among the provinces at 3.2% in December, down from 3.6% in November.