New Brunswick Adds 2,600 Jobs In October
New Brunswick added 3,700 full-time jobs in October, but lost 1,200 part-time positions, according to the latest labour force survey from Statistics Canada.
The unemployment rate fell 0.3 percentage points to 10.1 percent, as the number of people employed in the province increased 0.7 percent to 352,700. Overall, the province added 2,600 jobs.
Moncton added 1,100 jobs from September to October, but the number of people participating the labour force also increased by 900 people, to 90,400. Unemployment rate increased from 7.1 percent to 8.3 percent.
Saint John lost 700 jobs in a month, but the number of people looking for work decreased by 900 people to 65,300. The unemployment rate in the port city fell from 10.1 percent to 10 percent.
New Brunswick was among three provinces in the country that saw employment levels reach closest to their February levels, before the pandemic lockdowns began.
The sectors that saw the most gains in employment include wholesale and retail trade; professional, scientific and technical services; healthcare and social assistance; and finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing.
Nationwide, Canada gained 83,600 jobs, the bulk of it being full-time jobs. The unemployment rate dropped by 0.1 percentage point to 8.9 percent.
But with increased restrictions implemented in many parts of central Canada, employment growth slowed in Ontario and Quebec posted no gains.
The tightening of public health measures affected the accommodation and foodservice industry the most, leading to an employment decline in the sector for the first time since April.
Industries that have yet to recover to their pre-pandemic levels, like construction, and transportation and warehousing, saw flat employment levels.
On the other hand, employment grew past the February levels in the professional, scientific and technical service; wholesale trade; and educational services sectors.