Employment growth slows with marginal gains in February: Statistics Canada
March 11, 2011
By Manufacturing AUTOMATION
Employment edged up 15,000 in February, bringing total gains over the past three months to 115,000, according to Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey for February 2011. The slight gains were not enough to change the unemployment rate, however, which remained unchanged at 7.8 percent. Over the past 12 months, employment has risen by 1.9 percent, up 322,000.
Following sizeable gains at the end of 2010, manufacturing employment held steady over the first two months of 2011, and had little to do with the February gains. Employment in the industry was up just 0.5 percent over the previous month, and 2.9 percent (up 50,000) compared to February 2010.
Small gains were spread across a number of industries in February, led by accommodation and food services (up 1. 5 percent over the previous month), educational services (up 1.1 percent over the previous month), and health care and social assistance (up 0.9 percent over the previous month). At the same time, there were declines in business, building and other support services (down 4.9 percent over the January 2011), and in public administration (down 1.4 percent over the previous month).
Part-time employment rose by 39,000 in February, partly offset by a decline in full-time work. Over the past 12 months, part-time employment has grown by 5.1 percent (up 166,000), while full-time increased by 1.1 percent (up 156,000).
Alberta was the only province with a notable employment gain in February, up 14,000. At the same time, employment declined in Saskatchewan (down 3,300). There was little change in all other provinces.
