Statistics Canada says employment rose nationally in August for the third consecutive month.
The latest labour force survey shows the country added 90,000 jobs and the unemployment rate fell to 7.1 per cent.
Gains were concentrated in full-time work and the services industry, led by accommodation and food services.
“Combined with gains in June and July, the August increase brought employment to within 156,000 (-0.8%) of its February 2020 level, the closest since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said the survey.
In New Brunswick, employment fell by 500 and the unemployment rate held steady at 9.3 per cent. The province gained 1,500 full-time jobs but lost 2,000 part-time positions.
According to Statistics Canada, New Brunswick currently has the second-highest employment gap compared to pre-pandemic levels at 2.7 per cent. The highest is Prince Edward Island at 3.4 per cent.
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