Canada loses 35700 jobs in November

The country lost more jobs than expected in November, with Statistics Canada reporting on Friday a net decline of 35,700 positions in the month.

Economists had been expecting a milder 10,000 decrease in jobs.

Still, Canada’s overall labour force has grown 135,000 positions between January and November this year, compared to 132,600 during the same period last year.

In its latest forecast this week, for example, Bank of Nova Scotia projected unemployment at 6.9 per cent next year and 6.8 per cent in 2017.

Alberta continues to take the biggest hit from the drop in resources-linked employment, with the province shedding another 14,900 jobs in November.

The economy in the resources-producing province, which saw the bulk of its November losses concentrated in its services sector, has struggled as global commodity prices remain stubbornly low.

Employment fell in Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick and P.E.I., and was “virtually unchanged” elsewhere, the agency said.

Fewer people were employed in public administration, wholesale and retail trade, information, culture and recreation, as well as finance, insurance, real estate and leasing.

In the October jobs report, Statistics Canada found that the overall employment number eclipsed 18 million last month for the first time.

One reason for the increase is the loss of temporary work likely generated by October’s federal election.