“What didn’t change was the unemployment rate, which held steady at 6.9%. Instead, the weak numbers showed up in a decline in labour force participation, as job search activity among those out of work slipped,” says Bernard.
Job loss by sector, region
The sectoral breakdown of job losses reveals some concerning trends. Jobs in the information, culture and recreation sector saw a sharp decline of 29,000 (-3.3%), while construction, a sector that had seen steady growth in recent years, also experienced a downturn, losing 22,000 jobs.
The losses in these industries reflect broader patterns within the Canadian economy. While certain sectors continue to face challenges, others, like manufacturing, held steady during the month.
This is supported by the fact that losses were concentrated in Alberta (-0.6%) and BC (-0.5%), while manufacturing-exposed Ontario and Quebec held steadier at +0.3% and +0.5% respectively.