Quebec records lowest jobless rate since1976

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July to 6.3 per cent, the lowest since October 2008, just before the start of the 2008-2009 labor market downturn.

Overall employment in Quebec had little change in July, as the increase in full-time work was largely offset by a decrease in part-time work. Over the 12month period ending in July, employment in the province increased by 124,000 or 3 per cent.

In New Brunswick, the rate changed lower from both the previous month and 12 months earlier.

As a result of a decline in the number of people in the labor market, the unemployment rate fell by 1.6 percentage points to 6.5 per cent in July, the lowest rate since 1976. Since the beginning of 2017, unemployment in New Brunswick has declined, while employment has remained relatively unchanged. As a result, both the total labor force and the unemployment rate have fallen sharply.

Employment in Ontario increased by 26,000 in July, and the unemployment rate fell 0.3 percentage points to 6.1 per cent. Compared to the 12 previous months, employment in the province increased by 138,000 or 2 per cent, most of which was due to full-time work.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, the unemployment rate increased by 0.8 percentage points to 15.7 per cent, the highest rate since April 2010. In Prince Edward Island, the unemployment rate remained stable at 10 per cent.