Canada loses jobs in April amid COVID spike
Posted May 7, 2021 5:36 am.
Last Updated May 7, 2021 7:12 am.
OTTAWA (NEWS 1130) – Canada’s job market took a hit in April, with employment falling by 207,000 last month, according to Statistics Canada.
The agency says the unemployment rate rose 0.6 percentage points to 8.1 per cent.
The loss in jobs came as the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic took hold across Canada, and governments imposed new restrictions, including lockdowns in some areas.
#Breaking Canada's labour market loses 207,100 jobs in April.
-129,400 full-time jobs lost
-Unemployment rate climbs to 8.1%— Mike Eppel (@eppman) May 7, 2021
Both full-time and part-time employment saw declines, with Statistics Canada saying the number of employed people in April working less than half their usual hours increased by 288,000, or 27.2 per cent.
“The number of Canadians working from home grew by 100,000 to 5.1 million,” the agency adds.
When it comes to the sectors most affected by April lockdowns, Statistics Canada says retail trade came out on top, losing about 84,000 jobs. Accommodation and food services, and information, culture, and recreation followed.
“Employment in British Columbia declined by 43,000 (-1.6%) — the first decrease since substantial employment losses in March and April 2020,” Statistics Canada notes, adding employment increased in Saskatchewan and New Brunswick.
It says there was little change in other provinces.
Meanwhile, losses of employment in young people aged 15 to 24 fell 4.2 per cent in April, with the majority in Ontario and B.C.
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