40 thousand full time jobs added in May

By The Canadian Press

Unemployment down, wages up says Stats C

Statistics Canada says economy added 40,000 jobs in May

Jun 10, 2022 | 7:26 AM

MEDICINE HAT — The Medicine Hat – Lethbridge region continued to see employment growth in May.

The regional unemployment rate was 5 per cent, a decrease of a tenth of a per cent from April, and a major improvement from May of 2021, when the regional rate was 7.3 per cent.

It was part of an improving job market that saw Alberta’s unemployment rate fall to 5.3 per cent.

That was six tenths of a per cent better than April, and a decrease of 3.1 per cent from year ago numbers.

Year over year, employment gains in Alberta were led by the private sector, at 141,400 jobs.

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Public sector employment grew by two thousand positions.

Statistics Canada says the Canadian economy added 40,000 jobs in May, driven by a gain in full-time jobs as the labour market continued to tighten.

The increase came as the unemployment rate fell to 5.1 per cent for the month, the lowest rate since at least 1976 which is as far back as comparable data goes. The unemployment rate was 5.2 per cent in April.

The rate in Saskatchewan fell to 4.8, from 5.5 in April.

The overall gain in employment came as the number of full-time jobs climbed by 135,000, but part-time employment fell by 96,000.

The services sector saw a gain of 81,000 jobs as accommodation and food services added 20,000 positions. Educational services gained 24,000 jobs and retail trade added 34,000.

Meanwhile, the goods-producing side of the economy lost 41,000 jobs in the month as 43,000 manufacturing jobs were lost.

Statistics Canada says average hourly wages for all employees rose 3.9 per cent on a year-over-year basis in May, compared with an increase of 3.3 per cent in April.

(The Canadian Press)