N.B. Adds 4,200 Jobs With Moncton Leading the Way
MONCTON – The New Brunswick economy added 4,200 jobs in November, according to Statistics Canada’s latest labour force survey and Moncton continued to lead the way by adding 600 positions.
The Hub City’s employed workforce grew from 80,000 in November to 80,600 in December, and its unemployment rate fell from 6.3 per cent to 5.7 per cent.
Saint John did not fare as well. The city lost 400 jobs with its employed workforce falling from 64,500 in November to 64,100 in December.
The city’s unemployment rate fell from 6.8 per cent in November to 6.1 in December, but that’s because it’s labour force declined from 69,200 to 68,3000.
The year-over-year numbers favour Moncton as well. Since December of 2016, the Moncton CMA has gained 4,900 jobs. Saint John lost 2,400 jobs in the same period.
The province gained 4,200 jobs and the unemployment rate fell from 8.3 per cent in November to 7.8 per cent in December.
The strong month allowed New Brunswick to end the year on a positive note. Since December of 2016, the province has added 1,500 jobs.
The national picture was strong. In December, the unemployment rate dropped to 5.7 per cent, down from 5.9 per cent the month before, to reach its lowest mark since comparable data became available in 1976. The rate fell as the economy generated 78,600 net new positions, including 23,700 full−time jobs.
Looking at 2017 as a whole, employment rose 2.3 per cent for its fastest growth rate in 15 years. Over the past 12 months, the economy added 422,500 jobs with the gains driven by 394,200 new full−time positions, the agency’s labour force survey said.
In December 2016, the unemployment rate was 6.9 per cent, the report said. The last time the jobless rate was 5.8 per cent was October 2007.
_______
With files from The Canadian Press