Canada’s economy added 246,000 jobs in August–the fourth consecutive month of gains following COVID-19 related lockdowns this spring.
It brought the four-month total of new jobs to almost 2 million since May, but because of the plunge in March and April, Canada still has 1.1 million fewer paid workers than it did in February.
While the figure pushed the jobless rate down 0.7 percentage points to 10.2 per cent from 10.9 per cent in July, Statistics Canada reported said the pace of job gains slowed compared with July, which saw a gain of 419,000 jobs.
A sign in a store in Ottawa shows the business had temporarily closed down in April because of COVID-19. Canada still has 1.1 million fewer paid workers than it did in February. (Francis Ferland/CBC)
Economists had been expecting a slightly higher gain of 275,000 jobs in August and an unemployment rate of 10.1 per cent, according to financial data firm Refinitiv.
Statistics Canada said most of the new jobs recorded in August were full-time work, which had been lagging behind gains in part-time employment and that employment rose at a faster pace for women than men for the third straight month: the figures showed women gained about 150,000 positions in August compared to 96,000 for men.
Every province added jobs, except Alberta and New Brunswick.
Statistics Canada said the unemployment rate in August would have
been 13 per cent had it included in calculations people who wanted aj ob but didn’t look for work.
With files from CBC News, The Canadian Press
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