Canadian Payroll Employment Rises in May

On Thursday, Statistics Canada (StatCan) reported that payroll employment rose 0.1% in May, an increase of 24,000 jobs. This followed gains of 0.3%, or 59,000 jobs, in April and little change in March. Year-over-year, payroll employment increased 0.6%, or 112,500 jobs.

Public administration employment rose 0.9%, or 11,700 positions, marking the sector’s third consecutive monthly increase. Health care and social assistance added 6,800 jobs, or 0.3%, bringing its cumulative increase since September to 55,900 positions, or 2.3%.

Retail trade employment increased 0.3%, or 5,600 jobs. This marked the sector’s third consecutive monthly gain and brought its cumulative increase since March to 20,500 positions, or 1.0%.

These gains were partly offset by a 0.7% decline in finance and insurance employment, representing a loss of 5,700 positions. The decrease followed a 1.3%, or 10,900-position, increase from December through April. Professional, scientific, and technical services employment fell 0.3%, or 3,400 jobs, after four consecutive months of little change.

StatCan also reported that job vacancies were little changed at 495,700 in May, marking the fifth consecutive month of little variation. Vacancies were also little changed year-over-year.