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Canada adds 87,800 jobs, jobless rate down to 6.6%, beating May estimates
Full-time hiring drove the gain, with construction adding 26,800 jobs and wholesale and retail trade losing 35,000 positions, Statistics Canada said.
On Friday, Statistics Canada reported a surprise gain of 88,000 jobs in May, pushing the unemployment rate down to 6.6 per cent from 6.9 per cent in April.
The rebound marks the first significant employment increase since November 2025, reversing a broader trend that saw the economy shed 112,000 net jobs during the first four months of 2026.
Construction led industry growth with 27,000 new jobs, while wholesale and retail trade lost 35,000 positions; young workers aged 15 to 24 added 99,000 full-time roles, though youth unemployment remains at 13.4 per cent.
Average hourly wages rose 3 per cent in May, a deceleration from 4.5 per cent in April, marking the final major economic indicator before the Bank of Canada's interest rate decision on Wednesday.
Economists maintain that recent weakness does not meet recession thresholds despite economic growth stalling in the first quarter, as flash estimates suggest real GDP is rising again.
The Canadian economy added 88,000 jobs in May, a surprising job creation that contributed to a fall in the unemployment rate from 6.9% in April to 6.6%.