New official data shows mixed fortunes for Canadian employment
There were fewer people on the payroll at Canadian employers in March, the latest month of figures released this week by Statistics Canada.
The stats show that 54,100 (-0.3%) fewer people received pay and benefits in the month compared to February. This follows a decline of 40,200 (-0.2%) in February. However, on a year-over-year basis there was an increase of 32,800 (0.2%).
Sectors were split with 10 showing increases, three showing decreases, and seven unchanged. Educational services dipped the most (-10,400) while mining, quarrying, and oil and gas posted the largest increase (2,500).
Average weekly wages were up 4.3% year-over-year in March to $1,291 but this was a slower pace than the 5.1% seen in February. There was no change month-over-month and average weekly hours worked stayed roughly the same on both an annual and monthly basis at 33.5.
For those seeking work, there were 529,700 job vacancies in March, down 72,800 (1.2%) a year-over-year basis but marking the seventh consecutive month of little month-over-month change. For every vacancy, there were 2.9 unemployed people.
Finance and insurance (+2,700; +13.7%) and public administration (+1,500; +11.9%) were the only sectors to record year-over-year job vacancy increases in March. The largest declines were recorded in health care and social assistance (-17,600; -14.4%), retail trade (-11,500; -19.3%), and transportation and warehousing (-8,200; -23.0%).
The most recent labour market report, for April, showed a statistically insignificant increase of 7,400 jobs created while the unemployment rate edged higher to 6.9%. Finance, insurance and real estate were the bright stars for the economy, adding 24,000 jobs while manufacturing lost 31,000 jobs and wholesale and retail trade lost 27,000.
