ZCZC
BCN-11
ECONOMY-CANADA-UNEMPLOYMENT-INDICATOR
Canada’s employment falls 52,000 in August, jobless rate up to 6%
OTTAWA, Sept 8, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – The Canadian economy shed jobs in August
following two months of increases and the jobless rate rose, largely due to
falling government hiring, StatsCan reported Friday.
Employment fell by 52,000 last month, counteracting nearly all of the
gains in July and pushing the unemployment rate up 0.2 points to six percent,
according to the report.
The change was largely driven by the 80,000 decline in Ontario province
from the prior month. Public sector employment fell by 38,000 or one percent,
while hiring in the private sector was little changed.
The data also showed part-time work plunged 92,000 or 2.6 percent in the
month — most of that in Ontario — while full-time employment was little
changed.
By industry, the data showed large declines in construction, professional
and scientific services and agriculture, partly offset by gains in utilities
and business and other services.
Compared to August 2017, employment is up 172,000 or 0.9 percent, and
average hours worked is up 1.6 percent, StatsCan said.
BSS/AFP/HR/0940