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Job creation in Canada rebounded in May, with 25,800 more people employed last month, according to Statistics Canada. But all of those new hires were for part-time positions and mostly in the public sector. Part-time employment rose by 54,900, with full-time employment falling by 29,100. Most new jobs were in Alberta, with the biggest losses coming in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The figure represents a big swing back from April’s net loss of 28,900 workers. But the unemployment rate edged up from 6.9% to 7% as more people entered the labour market in search of work.
Industry wise, educational services, accommodation and food operators, and the agriculture sector showed the strongest gains in job numbers, while the natural resources sector and the manufacturing sector shed the most jobs.
Overall, employment in May “posted a respectable gain which should give us some hope that the better weather ahead will bring with it better days for jobs,” said Nick Exarhos, at CIBC World Markets.
According to National Bank economist Krishen Rangasamy, the long term employment outlook is positive, with improving corporate profits boding well for job creation later this year, and GDP growth also finding support from the U.S. economic rebound.
Source: Financial Post