There was a modest increase in net job creation in December. 82 hundred jobs were added to payrolls in Canada for a fourth consecutive month of employment gains.
Most of the increase occurred in Ontario and Quebec with fulltime and self employment leading the way. Yearly wage growth for permanent employees slowed to 3.7%.
However, with more people looking for work in December and since most of the people who entered the labour force last month didn’t find a job, the rate of unemployment increased 3 tenths of a percent to 6.8 percent.
Bottom line – economists say the small increase in employment signals Canada’s job market is holding its own while U.S. tariffs weigh on exports and investment. Sectors of the economy not affected by the trade war are the main source of job gains.
