Minor job losses and a 6.1% unemployment rate reported, with youth and sectors like food services hit hardest
In March, the employment landscape in Canada saw minimal changes, with a slight decrease of 2,200 jobs, representing a 0.0 percent change, and a slight decline in the employment rate by 0.1 percentage points to 61.4 percent.
The unemployment rate experienced a rise of 0.3 percentage points, reaching 6.1 percent. Over the past year, this rate has increased by 1.0 percentage points, according to Statistics Canada.
Youth employment, for those aged 15 to 24, declined by 28,000 jobs, a 1.0 percent decrease, contrasting with a 20,000 job increase (0.3 percent) among core-aged men, those aged 25 to 54.
Employment figures remained stable for core-aged women and for both women and men aged 55 and older.
Sector-wise, decreases were noted in accommodation and food services, wholesale and retail trade, and professional, scientific, and technical services, with losses of 27,000, 23,000, and 20,000 jobs respectively.
Conversely, the health care and social assistance sector saw an increase of 40,000 jobs, leading the growth across industries.
Geographically, employment dropped in Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, with declines of 18,000, 6,000, and 4,300 jobs, respectively. Ontario, however, reported an employment increase of 26,000 jobs.
Total hours worked in March remained unchanged from the previous month yet showed a 0.7 percent increase on a year-over-year basis. The average hourly wages among employees witnessed a 5.1 percent increase, reaching $34.81, continuing the growth trend from February.
The report also highlighted a continuous fall in the employment rate over the past six months, with a significant contrast between employment growth and the growth of the population aged 15 and older, which has not been matched by sufficient job creation.
Notably, Canada's population growth rate reached its fastest annual pace since 1957.
Private and public sector employment saw minor change, maintaining a pattern observed over recent months. Self-employment decreased by 29,000 in March, partially reversing a previous increase.
The youth employment rate dropped to its lowest since February 2012, except for the pandemic years, with a notable decline in employment rates among both young men and women. Employment rates for core-aged men remained stable, while slight fluctuations were observed for core-aged women and older workers.
The increase in the unemployment rate was driven by more individuals looking for work or on temporary layoff. A notable aspect was the higher proportion of people remaining unemployed compared to the previous year, indicating greater challenges in finding employment.
Specific demographic groups, such as core-aged Black Canadians, experienced significant increases in unemployment rates, highlighting disparities in the job market.
Industry-wise, job losses in accommodation and food services were significant, while health care and social assistance, construction, and other sectors saw employment gains.
Regionally, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba faced employment declines, whereas Ontario reported increases, particularly in health care and social assistance, transportation and warehousing, and construction.
The unemployment rate rose in several large census metropolitan areas, with St. Catharines–Niagara recording the largest year-over-year increase. This reflects broader national trends, including varying impacts across different regions and industries.
