Canadian employment fell for the fourth consecutive month in February, bringing total job losses since the peak of last October to 295,000. The unemployment rate pushed up 0.5 percentage points to 7.7%.

All of the employment losses in February were in full-time work, while part-time employment edged up only slightly. This continues the downward trend in full-time employment observed since October. Part-time employment has shown only a small increase over the same period.

Sharp decline in construction employment

In February, employment decreased by 43,000 in construction, the second large decline in three months. While the construction industry had the fastest growth from January to October 2008, it has since experienced the steepest decline. The downward trend coincides with the recent weakness in building permits and housing starts.

Employment in February also fell in professional, scientific & technical services, mostly in legal services and in architecture, engineering and design services. Employment edged down in educational services as well.

Employment in natural resources also declined in February, all in mining, oil and gas extraction, with most of the decrease observed in Alberta.

In February, employment rose by 25,000 in manufacturing, with the largest gain in food products manufacturing. Transportation equipment manufacturing was little changed following declines the month before. Despite the overall increase in February, manufacturing employment is down 5.3% from 12 months earlier.

The number of workers employed in agriculture as their main job increased in February. However, over the last 12 months, employment in this industry is down -3.7%.

Employment losses in February were almost equally split among private sector employees, public sector employees and the self-employed.

Ontario
Employment in Ontario fell by 35,000 in February, mostly in construction and finance, insurance, real estate and leasing. This pushed the unemployment rate up 0.7 percentage points to 8.7%, the highest since April 1997. Since last October, the province’s unemployment rate has risen by 2.0 percentage points, with increases concentrated in southwestern Ontario.

Since last October, just over half of Canada’s employment losses have occurred in Ontario, far above the province’s 39% share of the total working-age population. Employment in the province fell by 160,000 during this period, with the largest decreases in manufacturing; business, building and other support services; and construction.

Quebec
In Quebec, employment declined by 18,000 in February, while the unemployment rate edged up 0.2 percentage points to 7.9%. The unemployment rate in Quebec has risen by 0.7 percentage points since last October.

Alberta
Employment fell by 24,000 in Alberta in February, the second notable decline in three months. February’s drop in employment pushed the unemployment rate for the province up by a full percentage point to 5.4%, the highest in almost six years. Since last October, losses have been mostly in construction and manufacturing.

Figures from Statistics Canada

13 Mar 2009