Economy adds 58,200 jobs, but jobless rate hits 7.3

Statistics Canada says the economy surprised again in April, creating 58,200 new jobs as employment rose in most goods-producing industries and in most provinces.

 Still, the unemployment rate edged up one-tenth of a point to 7.3 per cent, but that was because even more people were looking for work last month.

The big gains, following a stunning 82,000 increase in jobs in March, changes the picture for Canada’s labour market, which until two months ago had been mostly stagnant since the summer.

The details in the April jobs report were even stronger than the headline, with all the new workers coming in the employee category rather than self-employment. They were also mostly in the private sector and mostly full time.

The agency says employment rose in manufacturing, construction, natural resources and agriculture, as well as the education sector. And, unlike in March, when most of the new jobs were concentrated in Central Canada, this time the winners included the Atlantic region, Quebec and the West.

The April gains brought the number of jobs created over the past year to 214,000, all in the full-time work category.