After four consecutive months of job growth totalling 9,400, Manitoba employment held steady in July, according to the latest Statistics Canada labour force report.
Employment slipped by 100 positions last month. With a noticeable jump in the labour force, the unemployment rate of 5.6 per cent is now the second lowest in the country.
Over the longer term, Manitoba’s performance has been steady. Since the beginning of the economic downturn, increases in the labour force, total employment, full-time jobs and private-sector jobs have far exceeded Canada’s growth. Statistics Canada shows Manitoba as one of the best provincial labour-market performers since the economic slowdown began.
Other highlights of the Statistics Canada monthly report include:
• From June 2010 to July 2010, the labour force increased by 1,700 people, employment was down 100 jobs, private-sector jobs were up 2,200, public-sector jobs were down 2,300, full-time jobs decreased by 3,400, part-time employment was up 3,300 and the number of unemployed increased by 1,800.
• The unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points to 5.6 per cent in July due to the increase in the number of people entering the labour market. Manitoba now has the second-lowest unemployment rate in the country. The unemployment rate at the national level edged up to eight per cent.
• Over the last 12 months Manitoba’s labour force and employment has grown by 14,800 (2.3 per cent) and 12,700 (2.1 per cent) respectively.
• Since the economic downturn began in October 2008, Manitoba’s employment growth of 2.1 per cent (second best) far exceeds the national change of -0.1 per cent. The province’s labour force has grown by 3.6 per cent (first), double the 1.8 per cent increase at the national level. Full-time employment is up 0.3 per cent (first) while Canada has lost 1.9 per cent of its full-time jobs. Private-sector growth is 2.6 per cent (second) for Manitoba and -0.4 per cent for Canada.
