Employment in February decreased by 2,300 from January. The unemployment rate was 7.3%, up from 7.2% in January. Construction employment was up 2.5% from January and manufacturing employment increased 0.4% from a month earlier.
In February, employment stood at just over 18.0 million, up 0.7% from February 2015. Full-time employment fell by 51,800 from January, while part-time employment increased by 49,500 from the previous month. Full time employment was up by 81,600 from February 2015, while part-time employment grew by 36,300 over the same period.
Employment over the past year grew in three provinces. British Columbia, with a 3.0% annualized growth rate, led the way followed by Ontario (+1.1%). Quebec’s annualized increase was 0.4%. Employment from a year earlier was down most in Newfoundland and Labrador (-4.2%) followed by Prince Edward Island (-3.0%) and New Brunswick
(-1.7%).
Total employment gains of 74,100 have occurred in Ontario since February 2015. Its unemployment rate in February was 6.8%, up from 6.7% in January. Quebec’s total employment increase since February 2015 was 16,600. Its unemployment rate in February was 7.6%, unchanged from January.
Since February 2015, employment in the goods-producing sector was up by 0.5% and in the services-producing sector grew by 0.7%.
The construction industry gained 34,000 jobs in February over January, bringing total construction employment to 1,398,000 which is a decrease of 6,100 from February 2015. Total manufacturing employment was up 7,600 from January to 1,732,200 jobs. This was an increase of 41,300 positions from February 2015.
The number of people working in retail and wholesale trade was up 11,300 in February from January and totaled 2,743,300, up 0.7% from February 2015.
Employment among adult women, aged 25 and over, was up 93,600 in February 2016 over February 2015 but decreased by 1,600 from January. Their unemployment rate was 5.5%. Employment among adult men was up 79,900 in February 2016 over February 2015 and grew by 14,900 from January. Their unemployment rate was 6.9%. Employment among youths (15-24 years of age) was down 55,500 since February 2015 and decreased by 15,600 from January. Their unemployment rate was 13.3%.
In February, private sector employment was up 15,200 from January and increased by 64,100 from February 2015. Self-employment grew by 3,000 in February over January but increased by 36,600 from February 2015. Public sector employment was down 20,400 from January but grew by 17,300 from February 2015. Total private sector employment in February was 11,602,700; self-employment was 2,799,700.