Employment in May increased by 14,000 from April. The unemployment rate was 6.9%, down from 7.1% in April. Construction employment was up 1.3% from April and manufacturing employment increased 0.7% from a month earlier.
In May, employment stood at just over 18.0 million, up 0.6% from May 2015. Full-time employment grew by 60,500 from April, while part-time employment decreased by 46,800 from the previous month. Full time employment was up by 127,000 from May 2015, while part-time employment declined by 18,500 over the same period.
Employment over the past 12 months grew in five provinces. British Columbia, with a 3.0% annualized growth rate, led the way followed by Newfoundland and Labrador (+2.4%). Ontario’s annualized growth rate was 1.1% while the year-over -year increase in Quebec was 0.4%. Employment from a year earlier was down most in Alberta (-2.3%) followed by Saskatchewan (-1.1%).
Total employment gains of 78,800 have occurred in Ontario since May 2015. Its unemployment rate in May was 6.6%, down from 7.0% in April. Quebec’s total employment increase since May 2015 was 18,200. Its unemployment rate in May was 7.1%, down from 7.5% in April.
Since May 2015, employment in the goods-producing sector was down 0.5% and in the services-producing sector grew by 0.9%.
The construction industry gained 18,600 jobs in May over April, bringing total construction employment to 1,405,400 which is an increase of 41,900 from May 2015. Total manufacturing employment was up 12,200 from April to 1,696,100 jobs. This was a decrease of 24,800 positions from May 2015.
The number of people working in retail and wholesale trade declined by 41,200 in May from April and totaled 2,731,300, down 0.3% from May 2015.
Employment among adult women, aged 25 and over, was up 126,500 in May 2016 over May 2015 and increased by 31,900 from April. Their unemployment rate was 5.4%. Employment among adult men was up 64,400 in May 2016 over May 2015 and grew by 17,300 from April. Their unemployment rate was 6.4%. Employment among youths (15-24 years of age) was down 82,400 since May 2015 and decreased by 35,400 from April. Their unemployment rate was 13.3%.
In May, private sector employment was down 5,400 from April but increased by 47,500 from May 2015. Self-employment fell by 11,100 in May over April and decreased by 8,900 from May 2015. Public sector employment was up 30,200 from April and increased by 69,800 from May 2015. Total private sector employment in May was 11,676,800; self-employment was 2,717,700.