Following three months of little change in the employment numbers, Statistics Canada today reported that full-time employment in the country fell by 71,000 from June to July, while part-time work went up by 40,000. Over the same period, the total number of hours worked rose by 0.4 per cent.

This was the biggest loss of full-time jobs since October 2011.

As many as 31,200 (-0.2 per cent) jobs were last month even as economists had expected that the country’s economy would create about 10,000 jobs in July. The unemployment rate rose 0.1 percentage point to 6.9 per cent, according to StatsCan.

Tough market for young Canadians

It was also not a good period for younger members of the workforce.

Numbers showed that there were 28,000 fewer jobs for workers aged 15 to 24.

Compared with 12 months earlier, employment for this age group was down by 66,000 (-2.7 per cent), while its population fell by 45,000 (-1.0 per cent).

Among people aged 25 to 54, employment was little changed in July. However, for women in this age group, there were decreases in full-time employment (-39,000), which were mostly offset by gains in part-time employment (+38,000). The unemployment rate for those aged 25 to 54 was 5.9 per cent. On a year-over-year basis, employment was little changed.

In July, employment was also little changed for men and women aged 55 and older. Compared with the same month a year earlier, employment rose by 105,000 (+6.6 per cent) for women and 37,000 (+1.8 per cent) for men. Employment gains for this age group were driven by population growth.

Public sector employments also fell by 42,000 in July. Private sector employment was relatively unchanged.

Ontario job rate down, B.C. up

Employment in Ontario went down by 36,000 in July. This was the first notable decline since September 2015.

The unemployment rate in the province was unchanged at 6.4 per cent, as fewer people participated in the labour market.

In July, employment declined by 5,000 in Newfoundland and Labrador, and the unemployment rate increased 0.8 percentage points to 12.8 per cent. In the 12 months to July, employment in the province fell 4,300 (-1.8 per cent).

In British Columbia, employment rose by 12,000 in July, extending an upward trend that began in the spring of 2015. The unemployment rate in the province declined 0.3 percentage points to 5.6 per cent, the lowest rate in the country.

In the 12 months to July, employment gains in British Columbia came to 85,000 or 3.7 per cent, the fastest growth rate among the provinces.

Employment in New Brunswick increased by 5,000 in July, and the unemployment rate fell 0.6 percentage points to 9.7 per cent. Compared with 12 months earlier, employment in the province grew by 6,700 (+1.9 per cent).

In Quebec, employment was little changed, and the unemployment rate held steady at 7.0 per cent. Employment levels in the province have been relatively stable since the summer of 2015.

For a second consecutive month, employment in Alberta was essentially unchanged. However, with more people searching for work, the unemployment rate in the province rose 0.7 percentage points to 8.6 per cent, the highest rate since September 1994.

In the 12 months to July, employment in Alberta fell by 49,000 (-2.1 per cent), with losses in full-time employment coming up to 104,000 (-5.4 per cent). Over the same period, the unemployment rate was up 2.4 percentage points.