The largest employment increases in January occurred in business, building and other support services, and retail and wholesale trade. These were partially offset by losses in professional, scientific, and technical services, as well as agriculture.
The Canadian residential average house price was $337,231 in November, a gain of 19 percent compared to one year ago.
Canada’s population continues to get older. As of July 1, 2009, the median age of Canada’s population was 39.5 years, up 2 months from the same date last year and up 3 years from 1999. Fertility rates persistently below the generation replacement level, and an increasing life expectancy are the main factors explaining the ageing process of the Canadian population. Recent demographic projections indicate that the median age could reach 44 years during the 2030s.
Canadian employment increased by 15,900 in September and, of the 305 industries surveyed, 170 recorded gains. This was the largest number of industries adding to their payrolls since July 2008. Since payroll employment peaked in October 2008, the number of employees in Canada has declined by 448,100. Most of the declines occurred during the first six months of the economic downturn in both the goods and service sectors.
In 2008, there were key differences in many indicators of quality of employment between immigrants and non-immigrants. On average, immigrant wages were lower, while rates of involuntary part-time work, temporary employment and over-qualification were higher. For immigrants who landed in Canada more than 10 years ago, however, the indicators of quality of employment more closely resembled those of the Canadian born.
A new, more comprehensive study guide for Canadian citizenship was launched this week. Discover Canada introduces would-be Canadians to a nation of distinctive history, geography, character and traditions, and is recommended reading for the citizenship test.
Average weekly earnings of payroll employees were $828.14 in August, up 2.0% from August 2008. Among Canada’s six largest industrial sectors average weekly earnings increased in public administration (+5.5%), educational services (+4.9%), health care & social assistance (+3.2%), and accommodation & food services (+0.2%).
The Canadian residential average price surpassed all previous monthly levels in September 2009, rising 13.6 per cent year-over-year to $331,602. July and August also posted new average price records for their respective months.
Canadian employment increased for the second consecutive month, up 31,000 in September, driven by large full-time gains. The unemployment rate fell by 0.3 percentage points to 8.4%, the first monthly decline since the beginning of the labour market downturn in the fall of 2008.
Starting this fall, new immigrants will receive “Language Training Vouchers” as part of a pilot project to encourage newcomers to participate in settlement programs. Under the pilot, 2,000 newcomers, chosen randomly in Ontario, Nova Scotia and Alberta, will be mailed the vouchers that they can take to any settlement service provider of their choice to obtain training based on their needs.