Canada’s unemployment rate declined to 6.9% in October as 67,000 jobs were added across the country during the month.
October saw the second consecutive monthly increase in jobs across Canada, pushing the unemployment rate down to 6.9% from 7.1% in September.
Economists had expected Canada’s labour market would lose 2,500 jobs in October after the economy added a surprise 60,000 positions in September of this year.
However, as has been the case for several months, the employment gains were concentrated in part-time rather than full-time work.
Although Canada’s private sector saw employment grow in October for the first time since June of this year.
Statistics Canada said employment growth was concentrated among men aged 25 to 54 years old (+33,000) and youth aged 15 to 24 years old (+21,000).
There were more people working in wholesale and retail trade (+41,000), transportation and warehousing (+30,000), and recreation (+25,000) in October.
On the flipside, employment declined in construction (-15,000) during the month.
Across Canada, employment increased in Ontario (+55,000) and in Newfoundland and Labrador (+4,400), while it declined in Nova Scotia (-4,400) and Manitoba (-4,000).
Average hourly wages among employees rose 3.5% in October to $37.06, following a gain of 3.3% in September.
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