Canadian employment up in June

OTTAWA, Ont. – Employment in Canada rose by 93,000 in June, thanks in large part to gains made in Ontario and Quebec, according to Statistics Canada’s June 2010 Labour Force Survey. This gain pushed the unemployment rate down 0.2 percentage points to 7.9 percent, the first time the rate has been below the eight-percent mark since January 2009.

Notable employment increases in June were in service industries; business, building and other support services; health care and social assistance; as well as automotive repair and personal care services.

Employment in construction edged up 11,000, making it the industry with the fastest growth rate of all major industry groups, up 8.3 percent since July 2009.

Employment in the manufacturing industry, however, dropped 14,000 in June. While employment in this industry has changed little since July 2009, it remains well below its October 2008 level, down 11.9 percent.

Virtually all of June’s employment gains were in Ontario (up 60,000) and Quebec (up 30,000). There were declines in Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick, while all other provinces saw little change.

In June, there were continued gains in the number of private sector employees. The number of self-employed workers also increased, while there was little change among public sector employees.

To view the full report, click here.