Canada Employment Research Brief

Labour market steadies after a shaky start to the year. Canada’s job market showed modest signs of stabilization in March, with employment rising by 14,000 positions after a combined loss of 109,000 jobs over the first two months of the year. The gain was weaker than expected and reflected a limited rebound in weather-sensitive sectors, with only modest hiring in construction and outright declines in retail and hospitality. Population growth ticked up slightly to 11,200, its fastest pace in four months, while the participation rate held steady at 64.9 per cent. As a result, labour force growth broadly matched employment gains, leaving the unemployment rate unchanged at 6.7 per cent. While headline job growth improved, the overall picture remains one of a labour market lacking meaningful momentum.