Canada's number crunchers showed our economy added 28,700 new jobs in March, far more than economists had been expecting.
However, Statistics Canada reported Friday that most of the job gains were in part-time work. The jobless rate was unchanged at 6.8%
Canada's economy lost 28,000 full-time jobs during the month, but that was offset by an increase in 57,000 part-time positions.
Given slumping oil prices, which have compelled several energy companies to lay off people, and the recent failures of a number of large retailers, the addition of almost 29,000 new jobs was a surprise for some.
Most of the gains were concentrated in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. All other provinces saw little change in the jobs picture.
Alberta added almost 20,000 part-time jobs, but that figure was offset by a loss of 18,400 full-time jobs during the month.
Related Stories
