U.S. payroll firm challenges Statistics Canada with alternative employment data
TORONTO — An inaugural private-sector Canadian jobs report calculates that the economy actually shed jobs last month, contrary to the sizable gain reported two weeks ago by Statistics Canada.
The Canada National Employment Report from ADP — a U.S.-based payroll processor known for releasing jobs data ahead of the American government — estimates that 5,700 payroll jobs were lost in October.
That’s a big difference from the 35,300 jobs that Statistics Canada suggests were added in October, according to the Labour Force Survey of about 56,000 households released Nov. 3 — one of the major sources of data used by economists.
Ahu Yildirmaz, who co-heads ADP’s research arm, says it’s publishing the information as a public service and doesn’t charge a fee for the monthly report.