So the Labour Survey for July 2011 was published by our friends at Stats Canada on Friday, and while the numbers show not too much growth in employment, it does show a drop in unemployment which is a very good thing (given how bad things look like they are going to go in the coming weeks).
Following three consecutive months of increases, employment was little changed in July. The unemployment rate declined by 0.2 percentage points to 7.2%, as fewer people participated in the labour market.
So not as good news as you want to see (with less folks trying to get jobs), but maybe they were deciding to stay home with their families? Who knows?
A flattening of the curve is OK, as long as the jobs stay around, given the fun and excitement down south.
In July, employment increased in construction, transportation and warehousing as well as retail and wholesale trade. At the same time, there were decreases in health care and social assistance; educational services; business, building and other support services; natural resources as well as agriculture.
An increase in the number of private sector employees was offset by a decline in the public sector.
As usual, I am glad to see more Private Sector jobs, because cost cutting at most level of governments is going to mean a tight squeeze in the Public Sector (certainly that is the word here in Ottawa).
The graphic seems to imply better unemployment, but if it is simply less folks looking, then the looks of the graph can be deceiving.
Big Table
As usual I include the Big Table to show where employment numbers changed in terms of age groups. More are available at the Stats Canada Web site too.
Labour force characteristics by age and sex Seasonally adjusted
| June 2011 | July 2011 | June toJuly 2011 | July 2010 toJuly 2011 | June to July 2011 |
July 2010 to July 2011 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| thousands (except rates) | change in thousands (except rates) | % change | ||||
| Both sexes, 15 years and over | ||||||
| Population | 27,975.7 | 28,002.1 | 26.4 | 324.4 | 0.1 | 1.2 |
| Labour force | 18,724.7 | 18,696.1 | -28.6 | 122.4 | -0.2 | 0.7 |
| Employment | 17,337.1 | 17,344.2 | 7.1 | 252.1 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| Full-time | 13,991.1 | 14,016.6 | 25.5 | 350.9 | 0.2 | 2.6 |
| Part-time | 3,346.0 | 3,327.6 | -18.4 | -98.8 | -0.5 | -2.9 |
| Unemployment | 1,387.6 | 1,351.9 | -35.7 | -129.7 | -2.6 | -8.8 |
| Participation rate | 66.9 | 66.8 | -0.1 | -0.3 | … | … |
| Unemployment rate | 7.4 | 7.2 | -0.2 | -0.8 | … | … |
| Employment rate | 62.0 | 61.9 | -0.1 | 0.1 | … | … |
| Part-time rate | 19.3 | 19.2 | -0.1 | -0.8 | … | … |
| Youths, 15 to 24 years | ||||||
| Population | 4,457.6 | 4,457.6 | 0.0 | -3.8 | 0.0 | -0.1 |
| Labour force | 2,892.2 | 2,890.6 | -1.6 | 12.0 | -0.1 | 0.4 |
| Employment | 2,479.4 | 2,481.7 | 2.3 | 12.6 | 0.1 | 0.5 |
| Full-time | 1,321.3 | 1,299.1 | -22.2 | 35.4 | -1.7 | 2.8 |
| Part-time | 1,158.1 | 1,182.7 | 24.6 | -22.7 | 2.1 | -1.9 |
| Unemployment | 412.8 | 408.9 | -3.9 | -0.6 | -0.9 | -0.1 |
| Participation rate | 64.9 | 64.8 | -0.1 | 0.3 | … | … |
| Unemployment rate | 14.3 | 14.1 | -0.2 | -0.1 | … | … |
| Employment rate | 55.6 | 55.7 | 0.1 | 0.4 | … | … |
| Part-time rate | 46.7 | 47.7 | 1.0 | -1.1 | … | … |
| Men, 25 years and over | ||||||
| Population | 11,506.4 | 11,519.5 | 13.1 | 163.7 | 0.1 | 1.4 |
| Labour force | 8,388.7 | 8,378.5 | -10.2 | 56.0 | -0.1 | 0.7 |
| Employment | 7,857.2 | 7,863.7 | 6.5 | 142.4 | 0.1 | 1.8 |
| Full-time | 7,220.1 | 7,254.2 | 34.1 | 179.7 | 0.5 | 2.5 |
| Part-time | 637.1 | 609.5 | -27.6 | -37.3 | -4.3 | -5.8 |
| Unemployment | 531.5 | 514.8 | -16.7 | -86.4 | -3.1 | -14.4 |
| Participation rate | 72.9 | 72.7 | -0.2 | -0.6 | … | … |
| Unemployment rate | 6.3 | 6.1 | -0.2 | -1.1 | … | … |
| Employment rate | 68.3 | 68.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | … | … |
| Part-time rate | 8.1 | 7.8 | -0.3 | -0.6 | … | … |
| Women, 25 years and over | ||||||
| Population | 12,011.7 | 12,025.0 | 13.3 | 164.5 | 0.1 | 1.4 |
| Labour force | 7,443.8 | 7,427.1 | -16.7 | 54.5 | -0.2 | 0.7 |
| Employment | 7,000.5 | 6,998.8 | -1.7 | 97.1 | 0.0 | 1.4 |
| Full-time | 5,449.7 | 5,463.3 | 13.6 | 135.8 | 0.2 | 2.5 |
| Part-time | 1,550.8 | 1,535.5 | -15.3 | -38.7 | -1.0 | -2.5 |
| Unemployment | 443.3 | 428.3 | -15.0 | -42.6 | -3.4 | -9.0 |
| Participation rate | 62.0 | 61.8 | -0.2 | -0.4 | … | … |
| Unemployment rate | 6.0 | 5.8 | -0.2 | -0.6 | … | … |
| Employment rate | 58.3 | 58.2 | -0.1 | 0.0 | … | … |
| Part-time rate | 22.2 | 21.9 | -0.3 | -0.9 | … | … |
Unemployment for 2011 Articles
- Unemployment Up to End 2011. In December, employment grew by 24,000 among people aged 55 and over. Employment for this age group rose 3.4% (+102,000) from 12 months earlier. This increase was almost entirely due to population aging, as the 55-and-over population grew by 3.2% over the period.
- Unemployment up in November 2011 in Canada. In November, employment fell in retail and wholesale trade, as well as business, building and other support services. These losses were partially offset by increases in “other services” (such as personal services and repair and maintenance), as well as in construction, natural resources, and utilities.
- Labour Numbers not good for October 2011 in Canada. After a September increase, employment fell by 54,000 in October, all full-time. October’s loss pushed the unemployment rate up 0.2 percentage points to 7.3%. Over the last year, total employment has risen by 237,000 (+1.4%).
- Optimistic Labour Numbers September 2011. Following two months of little change, employment rose by 61,000 in September, all in full time. This increase pushed the unemployment rate down 0.2 percentage points to 7.1%, the lowest rate since December 2008.
- Employment Stalling in Canada (August 2011). Over the past 12 months, employment grew by 1.3% (+223,000), mainly in Ontario and Alberta and among private-sector employees. Over this period, full-time employment increased 2.2% (+300,000), part-time work declined 2.3% (-77,000), and total actual hours worked rose by 2.6%.
- Employment Stalls a little for July in Canada (2011). After three consecutive months of increases, employment changed little in July. The unemployment rate fell 0.2 percentage points to 7.2% as fewer people participated in the labour market.
- Employment Up in June in Canada (2011). Employment rose for the third consecutive month, up 28,000 in June. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 7.4% as labour market participation increased. Over the past 12 months, employment has grown by 238,000 (+1.4%).
