Employment in August was up 0.1% from July. The unemployment rate was 7.0%, up from 6.9% in July. Construction employment was up 0.5% from July while manufacturing employment increased 0.2% from a month earlier.
In August, employment stood at 18.0 million, up 0.4% from August 2015. Full-time employment grew by 52,200 from July, while part-time employment decreased by 26,000 from the previous month. Full time employment was down by 35,700 from August 2015, while part-time employment increased by 113,100 over the same period.
Employment over the past 12 months grew in four provinces. British Columbia, with a 3.1% annualized growth rate, led the way. Ontario’s annualized growth rate was 0.5% while the year-over -year increase in Quebec was 0.8%. Employment from a year earlier was down most in Alberta (-2.3%) followed by Prince Edward Island (-1.5%).
Total employment gains of 37,200 have occurred in Ontario since August 2015. Its unemployment rate in August was 6.7%, up from 6.4% in July. Quebec’s total employment increase since August 2015 was 33,600. Its unemployment rate in August was 7.1%, up from 7.0% in July.
Since August 2015, employment in the goods-producing sector was down 1.1% and in the services-producing sector grew by 0.9%.
The construction industry gained 7,400 jobs in August over July, bringing total construction employment to 1,375,100 which is an increase of 14,700 from August 2015. Total manufacturing employment was up 2,900 from July to 1,691,700 jobs. This was a decrease of 17,300 positions from August 2015.
The number of people working in retail and wholesale trade increased by 11,300 in August from July and totaled 2,741,600, up 0.1% from August 2015.
Employment among adult women, aged 25 and over, was up 119,100 in August 2016 over August 2015 and increased by 6,500 from July. Their unemployment rate was 5.3%. Employment among adult men was up 6,300 in August 2016 over August 2015 but fell by 2,300 from July. Their unemployment rate was 6.6%. Employment among youths (15-24 years of age) was down 48,000 since August 2015 but increased by 22,100 from July. Their unemployment rate was 13.2%.
In August, private sector employment was up 8,300 from July and increased by 96,700 from August 2015. Self-employment fell by 39,100 in August over July and decreased by 13,800 from August 2015. Public sector employment was up 57,000 from July but decreased by 5,500 from August 2015. Total private sector employment in August was 11,688,200; self-employment was 2,737,600.