Canada’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5% in April as the economy added 41,000 net new jobs, almost all of them in part-time work.
According to Statistics Canada, the national unemployment rate has held steady at 5% since December 2022.
Employment during April increased in wholesale and retail trade (up 24,000), transportation and warehousing (up 17,000), and in educational services (up 15,000).
However, those gains were partly offset by employment decreases in business, building and other support services (down 14,000) in the month of April.
Employment rose in Ontario by 33,000 positions and Prince Edward Island by 2,200 jobs but declined in Manitoba by 4,000. There was little change in other provinces during April.
On a year-over-year basis, average hourly wages in Canada rose 5.2% to $33.38.
The employment rate, which measures the portion of the population aged 15 and older who are employed, held steady at 62.4% for the third consecutive month in April, said Statistics Canada.
Part-time employment increased by 48,000 net new positions in April, while full-time employment remained unchanged across Canada.
April marked the first significant increase in part-time employment since October 2022, said Statistics Canada.
