Employment increased by 108,000 in October in Canada and the unemployment rate remained at 5.2%.
Statistics Canada reports that employment grew in full-time work, primarily in manufacturing, construction, and accommodation and food services. It fell in wholesale and retail trade as well as in natural resources.
The federal agency attributes the monthly employment growth to several factors, including an increase in the number of people finding jobs after being unemployed or inactive, a drop in the number of people leaving or losing their jobs, and the population growth.
Most of October’s employment gain was among people in the core working age group of 25 to 54 years old.
Last month, employment increased in Ontario, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, but there was little change in the other provinces.
Statistics Canada reports that in Quebec, the rate was measured at 4.1%, the lowest in Canada, and there was a drop of 0.3 percentage points. Employment increased by 28,000, or 0.6%.
In New Brunswick, the unemployment rate remained stable at 6.7%. In Nova Scotia, it increased from 6.2% to 6.7%.
In Prince Edward Island, the unemployment rate plummeted in one month, from 8.3% to 5.4%. Statistics Canada says the province was hit hard by post-tropical storm Fiona in September and employment rose 5.3% in October, more than offsetting the drop in September.
On the other hand, 12-month growth in average employee hourly wages remained above 5% in Canada for a fifth consecutive month in October, rising 5.6% or $1.68 to reach 31.94 $ compared to October 2021.