Editor’s Note: At 6,9%, the unemployment rate is down by -0.5 pp since last year. But this is due to the -0.4 pp drop in the participation rate as the employment-to-population ratio is down by -0.1. This is hardly the picture of a dynamic labour market.
The Report
Employment was little changed for the second consecutive month and the unemployment rate remained at 6.9% in October.
Compared with October 2012, employment increased by 1.2% or 214,000, with gains in full-time and part-time work. Over the same period, the number of hours worked rose by 1.4%.
Chart 1 Employment
Provincially, employment increased in Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador and in Prince Edward Island. At the same time, there were declines in Nova Scotia, Manitoba and New Brunswick.
In October, there were more people working in accommodation and food services, health care and social assistance as well as public administration. However, employment declined in business, building and other support services.
The number of public sector employees increased in October, while there was little change among private sector employees and the self-employed.
Chart 2 Unemployment rate
Job Market Monitor 
Discussion
No comments yet.