August jobless rate steady at 6.1%
Canada added 15,200 jobs in August as the national unemployment rate for the month remained steady at 6.1 per cent.
Economists had been forecasting job growth of about 10,000 for last month.
Statistics Canada said Friday that all of August's job gains were in full-time work. Private-sector employment grew by 41,000, while public sector employment dipped by 24,000 and self-employment eased by 1,800.
The August report was a rebound from July, when the economy shed 55,000 jobs.
"The latest tally reaffirmed our expectation that the massive drop in July overstated the weakness in the labour market, while also reminding us that the job boom of 2006-07 is done," said TD Bank economist Pascal Gauthier.
Statistics Canada said there were job gains in Saskatchewan and Ontario, while Nova Scotia and Manitoba lost jobs. Employment was virtually unchanged in the other provinces.
Last month, employment increased in educational services, construction, utilities, and accommodation and food services. The health-care and social assistance, agriculture and public administration sectors all saw declines in employment.
Canada's battered manufacturing sector saw a slight increase in manufacturing employment in last month. Through the first eight months of the year, the sector lost 14,000 jobs — compared to a drop of 76,000 jobs over the same period last year.
"While not exactly a picture of robust health, the decent August job gain helps to relieve some of the sting from July’s big drop," said BMO economist Douglas Porter.
"These results do not take away from the fact that Canada’s labour market is cooling, but it certainly is not deteriorating at nearly the pace the U.S. job market is softening," he said.
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