Employment was little changed in April (+7,400; +0.0%) and the employment rate declined 0.1 percentage points to 60.8%. The unemployment rate increased by 0.2 percentage points to 6.9%. In April, employment fell among core-aged (25 to 54 years old) women (-60,000; -0.9%), while it increased among people aged 55 years and older (+35,000; +0.8%) and core-aged men (+24,000; +0.3%). In April, employment fell in manufacturing (-31,000; -1.6%) and in wholesale and retail trade (-27,000; -0.9%). Employment increased in public administration (+37,000; +3.0%), coinciding with the hiring of temporary workers for activities ... (full story)

Canada’s labour market was nearly flat in April, adding a net 7,400 jobs in April, while the unemployment rate unexpectedly increased to 6.9 per cent, according to Statistics Canada data released on Friday. Economists had expected a job gain of 25,000 and for the unemployment rate to hold at 6.7 per cent, according to consensus estimates published by CIBC Economics. In a preview earlier this week, BMO economists wrote that this month’s figures could be “misleading,” due to the federal election temporarily adding an estimated 25,000 jobs. In March, Canada’s labour market lost 32,600 jobs, the first net decrease in ... (full story)