Canada added jobs in August

Employment in Canada increased by 36,000 jobs in August. There were increases in the educational services, professional, scientific and technical services, and natural resources sectors in August. Quebec, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland were areas in Canada that showed particularly strong increases in employment.

Employment in educational services increased by 68,000 in August. There were also increases in professional, scientific and technical services and in natural resources in August. This industry recorded the highest growth rate of all major industry groups since July 2009, at 9.9% (+119,000).

Construction employment (+12,000) edged up in August, continuing the upward trend started in July 2009. Over this period, employment in this industry has grown by 9.6% or 109,000, the second highest growth rate of the major industry groups. There were increases in the public sector (+58,000) and in self-employment (+18,000) in August.

Quebec saw positive employment gains of 19,000 in August. Since July 2009, employment has grown 3.0% (+115,000) in the province of Quebec, which is well above the national average growth rate of 2.6%.

Saskatchewan witnessed an employment growth of 5,400 in August, pushing the unemployment rate down 0.3 percentage points to 4.8%, which is the lowest unemployment rate in Canada.

Newfoundland and Labrador saw employment gains of 3,600 in August. This province has had the fastest rate of growth in employment in Canada since July 2009, at 5.0%.

Employment in Ontario was little changed in August. The unemployment rate in this province was 8.8%, up 0.3 percentage points from the previous month, the result of an increase in the number of people in the labor force. Since July 2009, employment has increased by 2.7% (+178,000).

This August job report suggests the economy has recovered all the jobs lost in the 2008-09 recession at a faster pace than any previous Canadian economic recovery.