Canada’s economy added 55,000 jobs last month, as rapid growth of full-time jobs more than offset a decline in part-time work.
According to Statistics Canada, two provinces — Ontario and Saskatchewan — made up almost all of the gains, while the job market was flat just about everywhere else.
There were 123,000 more Canadians with full-time jobs during the month, and 68,000 fewer part-time ones, the agency reported Friday.
While job growth was double what many economists expected, it should be taken with a grain of salt. Statistics Canada conducted its jobs survey in the week starting Dec. 5, when Omicron had only recently arrived.
“Since the December reference week, many provinces have made adjustments to public health measures in response to rising COVID-19 cases,” Statistics Canada said. “Similar measures in previous months have resulted in labour market impacts.”
The jobless rate according to the survey was 5.9 per cent. Two years ago next month, before the pandemic, it was 5.7 per cent.
