Canadian jobs fell by 60,700 in March, down 0.4% from the previous month, as job losses across industries remained widespread. Since peaking in October, total payroll employment has fallen by 325,000 or 2.2% according to Statistics Canada.

The largest decline in jobs in March was for administrative and support services, which fell by 19,500 or 2.6%. This was driven mainly by falls in employment services and business support services.

Manufacturing continued to feel the effects of the economic downturn with a decline of 18,700 jobs in March, driven by losses in fabricated metal, wood product, primary metal, and motor vehicle parts manufacturing. While manufacturing accounts for 10% of payroll employment, 37% of overall job losses since October 2008 have come from this industry.

Job losses also occurred in traveller accommodation, full-service restaurants and in the retail trade sector.

Despite widespread declines, some industries experienced job growth in March. The largest gains included educational services, driven by an increase in universities, and health care and social assistance, with the biggest gain in nursing care facilities.

British Columbia
Jobs in British Columbia contracted 2.4% or 46,000 in March compared with 12 months earlier. Declines were widespread, with notable job losses in sawmills and wood preservation; electronic and precision equipment repairs; logging and general residential construction.

Ontario
In Ontario, the number of jobs fell by 113,700 from a year earlier, a decline of 2.0%, with the biggest losses in employment services, motor vehicle parts manufacturing, local, municipal & regional public administration and business support services.

Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan’s employment grew by 6,300 between March 2008 and March 2009. The biggest gains were in wired telecommunication carriers, other local, municipal and regional public administration as well as warehousing and storage.

Newfoundland &Labrador
The number of employees in Newfoundland &Labrador was 5,700 higher in March 2009 compared with a year earlier. This increase was largely driven by gains in elementary and secondary schools; other provincial and territorial public administration; support activities for mining, oil and gas extraction; and general medical and surgical hospitals.

1 Jun 2009