Canada’s unemployment rate fell slightly in June, even though 700 jobs were lost, as fewer Canadians were looking for work, according to Statistics Canada.
Unemployment at the end of June was 6.8 per cent, down from 6.9 per cent a month earlier.
There was more misery in the manufacturing sector, as the loss of 13,000 jobs across the month bring the total to 30,000 in the last year.
Month to Month Comparison
| End June | End May | |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 6.8 | 6.9 |
| Employment rate (%) | 61 | 61.1 |
| Labour force participation rate (%) | 65.5 | 65.7 |
| Number unemployed | 1,326,300 | 1,346,500 |
| Number working | 18,054,500 | 18,055,200 |
| Youth (15-24) unemployment rate (%) | 13 | 13.3 |
| Men (over 25) unemployment rate (%) | 6.3 | 6.4 |
| Women (over 25) unemployment rate (%) | 5.3 | 5.4 |
“Employment in the manufacturing industry has been on a downward trend since the beginning of 2016,” the Labour Force Survey report noted.
With the industry expected to make up some of the ground lost in the oil sector, the decline is a key concern for economic experts,
Jobs in the construction sector also fell by 29,000, another important figure given the seasonal nature of the industry in Canada.
Provinces Ranked by Unemployment Rate
| Jobs change May | Unemployment rate (%) | |
| 1) British Columbia | 16,000 | 5.9 |
| 2) Manitoba | 0 | 6.1 |
| 3) Saskatchewan | 1,000 | 6.1 |
| 4) Ontario | -4,200 | 6.4 |
| 5) Quebec | -11,200 | 7 |
| 6) Alberta | -1,900 | 7.9 |
| 7) Nova Scotia | 600 | 8.2 |
| 8) New Brunswick | 1,200 | 10.3 |
| 9) Prince Edward Island | -400 | 11 |
| 10) Newfoundland & Labrador | -1,800 | 12 |
Experts believe the cheap Canadian dollar – which fell further on the back of the jobs report – will lead to a longer-term recovery in manufacturing, although that cannot come soon enough. There was an expectation the sector would be growing by now.
Provincially, Ontario unemployment fell from 6.6 per cent to 6.4 per cent despite the loss of 4,200 jobs, with fewer people looking for work. Data shows the province has added 63,000 jobs in the last year.
British Columbia’s 5.9 per cent unemployment rate was once again the lowest of all the provinces, an accolade it held earlier in the year for the first time since records began. B.C. was the only province to add jobs in June.
The Fort McMurray area was excluded from the survey for the second month running due to the wildfires that caused so much damage during spring, with unemployment for the rest of Alberta at 7.9 per cent.
Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.
Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.
Recent News Articles:
- New to Canada? Here are the Best Cities to Live
- Quebec and Ontario Lead Canada’s May Jobs Boost (Audio)
Read more news about Canada Immigration by clicking here.
