Employment in March increased by 41,300 from February. The unemployment rate was 7.1%, down from 7.3% in February. Construction employment was down 0.4% from February and manufacturing employment decreased 1.8% from a month earlier.
In March, employment stood at just over 18.0 million, up 0.7% from March 2015. Full-time employment grew by 35,300 from February, while part-time employment increased by 5,300 from the previous month. Full time employment was up by 133,700 from March 2015, while part-time employment declined by 4,100 over the same period.
Employment over the past year grew in three provinces. British Columbia, with a 3.2% annualized growth rate, led the way followed by Ontario (+1.2%). Quebec’s annualized rate was 0.0% . Employment from a year earlier was down most in Prince Edward Island (-3.1%) followed by New Brunswick(-2.4%) and Newfoundland Labrador (-2.0%).
Total employment gains of 85,600 have occurred on Ontario since March 2015. Its unemployment rate in March was 6.8%, unchanged from February. Quebec’s total employment increase since March 2015 was 300. Its unemployment rate in March was 7.5%, down from 7.6% in February.
Since March 2015, employment in the goods-producing sector was unchanged and in the services-producing sector grew by 0.9%.
The construction industry lost 5,500 jobs in March over February, bringing total construction employment to 1,392,500 which is an increase of 6,100 from March 2015. Total manufacturing employment was down 31,800 from February to 1,700,400 jobs. This was an increase of 8,300 positions from March 2015.
The number of people working in retail and wholesale trade was up 2,400 in March from February and totaled 2,745,700, up 0.9% from March 2015.
Employment among adult women, aged 25 and over, was up 101,200 in March 2016 over March 2015 and increased by 29,900 from February. Their unemployment rate was 5.4%. Employment among adult men was up 88,700 in March 2016 over March 2015 and grew by 8,400 from February. Their unemployment rate was 6.6%. Employment among youths (15-24 years of age) was down 60,400 since March 2015 but increased by 2,300 from February. Their unemployment rate was 13.4%.
In March, private sector employment was up 65,100 from February and increased by 109,000 from March 2015. Self-employment fell by 22,000 in March over February but increased by 29,000 from March 2015. Public sector employment was down 2,400 from February and declined by 8,400 from March 2015. Total private sector employment in March was 11,667,800; self-employment was 2,777,700.