Canada’s unemployment rate held steady at 6.4 per cent in July, according to Statistics Canada.
New figures released on Friday showed employment was little changed for the third straight month.
Employment fell in wholesale and retail trade as well as in finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing.
Meanwhile, there was an increase in employment in public administration, transportation and warehousing and utilities.
Employment held steady for the third consecutive month in July, but the proportion of the population aged 15 and older who are employed fell 0.2 percentage points to 60.9 per cent.
The employment rate has followed a downward trend since reaching a high of 62.4 per cent in early 2023 and has fallen in nine of the last 10 months, according to StatCan.
The number of private sector employees fell by 42,000 in July while public sector employment rose by 41,000. Self-employment was little changed.
Employment fell among young men aged 15 to 24 as well as among women and men aged 55 to 64.
The report also noted that average hourly wages increased $1.73 on a year-over-year basis, or 5.2 per cent, to $34.97.
At look at some of the provincial numbers
New Brunswick lost 4,800 full-time jobs and gained 4,500 part-time positions for a net decrease of 300.
But with fewer people in the province’s labour force, the unemployment rate fell 0.5 percentage points to 7.2 per cent.
Nova Scotia added 100 full-time jobs but lost 4,900 part-time positions for a net employment drop of 4,800.
That pushed the unemployment rate up four-tenths of a percentage point to seven per cent.
Prince Edward Island lost 400 jobs as the unemployment rate jumped to 8.9 per cent from eight per cent the previous month.
In Ontario, the province added 69,900 full-time jobs but lost 47,500 part-time positions for a net increase of 22,400.
The unemployment rate dropped three-tenths of a percentage point to 6.7 per cent.
The full report can be found on Statistics Canada’s website.
