The job picture improved in this country last month, however marginally.
Figures released Friday by Statistics Canada revealed that the economy added 48,000 jobs, causing the unemployment rate to dip to 6.8%.
The numbers blew past economists' expectations of a loss of 10,000 jobs after a strong showing the previous month, too.
Instead, the economy has added nearly 100,000 jobs since the end of November and averaged more than 40,000 new jobs a month since August — the strongest six-month period in more than 15 years.
The agency also said most of the new jobs were part-time, although there were also more than 15,000 new full-time jobs created. Almost all of the new jobs were in the service sector.
StatsCan concluded that Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador all added jobs, while New Brunswick lost some. All other provinces were largely unchanged.
