Employment increased by an estimated 29,000 in April following modest job growth over the previous five months. The unemployment rate edged down 0.1 percentage points to 6.8%, the lowest since December 2000.

So far in 2005, employment has risen by 0.3% (+55,000). In contrast, the number of hours worked grew by 1.4% over the first four months of the year, boosted by a strong increase in full-time work in April.

More adult women working full-time

There were 17,000 more women aged 25 and over working in April as an increase of 52,000 full-time jobs was partly offset by a decline in part-time. The overall gain for adult women in April brings the total increase since the start of the year to 41,000 (+0.6%), all full-time. Their unemployment rate fell 0.2 percentage points in April to 5.5%.

Employment among adult men held steady in April and is up 44,000 (+0.6%) over the first four months of the year, similar to the growth for adult women.

Youth employment was unchanged in April, leaving losses over the first four months of the year at 30,000 (-1.2%), all in full-time jobs.

More construction jobs but fewer workers employed in manufacturing

There were 26,000 more people employed in construction in April. Despite a pause in recent months, there has been robust employment growth of 9.3% over the last year. Quebec and Alberta accounted for virtually all of the increase in construction jobs in April.

Employment grew by 23,000 in professional, scientific and technical services in April, bringing growth over the last 12 months to 3.4%. All of the increase in April was in architectural and engineering services as well as computer systems design.

Employment rose by 29,000 in educational services in April, with gains in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. Since the start of the 2004/2005 school year, employment in the sector has increased by 71,000 (+6.8%).

In April, there were an estimated 23,000 additional workers in public administration, driven for the second consecutive month by increases at the municipal level. This more than offsets losses observed at the start of the year.

Employment edged up in natural resources (+6,000), with gains in Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec. Employment in natural resources is up 8.0% from 12 months ago, fueled by robust growth in Alberta (+16.1%).

Weakness in manufacturing continued in April as the number of factory jobs dropped by 29,000, with losses concentrated in Quebec and Alberta. Compared to 12 months ago, employment in manufacturing is down 3.1% (-72,000). In the April Business Conditions Survey, manufacturers identified a number of impediments to production, including the high value of the Canadian dollar and inexpensive foreign imports.

The number of people working in retail and wholesale trade fell by 20,000 in April, leaving employment in the sector at about the same level as at the end of 2004.

Employment in health care and social assistance decreased by an estimated 23,000 in April, mostly in social assistance. The sector had been showing strength prior to mid-2004, however, there has been weakness over the last 12 months mainly in ambulatory health care services (such as offices of physicians, dentists and medical laboratories) and in social assistance.

There were 17,000 fewer people working in information, culture and recreation in April, with the largest loss coming from the amusement, gambling and recreation portion of the industry. This leaves employment in the sector at about the same level as a year ago.

With strength in public administration and educational services, the number of public sector employees increased by an estimated 38,000 in April. The private sector experienced little change in both self-employment and in the number of employees. However, so far in 2005, overall employment growth has stemmed from self-employment (+48,000), followed by public sector employees (+45,000). In contrast, the number of private sector employees has declined by 39,000 over the first four months of the year.

Provincial focus

Employment in Ontario rose by 26,000 in April as an increase of 59,000 full-time jobs was only partly offset by a decline in part-time. There were increases in municipal public administration, educational services, and in finance, insurance, real estate and leasing. Recent job gains leave employment in the province up by a modest 0.4% since the end of 2004. The unemployment rate edged down 0.1 percentage points in April to 6.8%.

In British Columbia, employment increased by 13,000, pushing the unemployment rate down 0.4 percentage points to 6.1%, the lowest in almost 25 years. The largest employment increase occurred in accommodation and food services. Compared to 12 months ago, employment in the province is up 4.0% (+81,000), boosted by robust gains in the construction sector.

In Quebec, employment was little changed for the third consecutive month, however, the unemployment rate fell 0.3 percentage points to 7.9% as fewer people were looking for work. In April, job losses in manufacturing and in wholesale trade were largely offset by significant gains in construction and in professional, scientific and technical services.

Although employment in Manitoba was unchanged in April, there were fewer people looking for work, pushing the unemployment rate down 0.5 percentage points to 4.8%.

In Alberta, employment held steady in April as continued strength in transportation and warehousing, educational services and natural resources were offset by losses in accommodation and food services and trade. However, as more people entered the labour force in search of a job, the unemployment rate jumped 0.5 percentage points to 4.0%.

There were 4,000 fewer people working in Newfoundland and Labrador in April, with declines spread across several sectors. This month's decrease offsets the gain in March, leaving employment in the province at about the same level as last November. Job losses in April pushed the unemployment rate up 1.2 percentage points to 16.1%.

Although employment decreased by 4,000 in Saskatchewan, a decline in labour force participation caused the unemployment rate to edge down 0.2 percentage points to 5.0%. Despite the decline this month, employment is up 0.9% from 12 months ago.

There was little change in both employment and unemployment in the other provinces in April.