Canada’s employment numbers for January 2012. Bygone days when life was simpler, it seems.
Evidently, pundits expected better numbers, but employment stayed virtually the same in January (compared to December), and thanks to the accounting method, unemployment actually jumped.
Both full-time and part-time employment were essentially unchanged in January. Compared with 12 months earlier, the number of full-time workers was up 1.2% (+170,000), while the number of part-time workers declined 1.2% (-41,000). At the same time, the total number of hours worked grew 1.4%, with all of the increase in the first half of the period.
OK, not great news, but at least it isn’t really bad news it is just not good news either.
The number of employees went up, as much as the number of self-employed dropped (by 37,000) which is worrisome.
It looks like folks are looking for more mature folks on the job, with the following quote:
Employment increased by 19,000 in January among women aged 55 and over. Employment for this age group grew 3.5% (+49,000) compared with 12 months earlier, in large part a result of the aging of the population.
Men aged 55 and over saw little employment change in January. Their 12-month employment growth rate of 3.1% (+52,000) was entirely the result of the aging population.
Guess grey hair may be in this year?
The Big Table
My regular readers know I am a big fan of looking at all the info that the Stats Canada folks provide, and this table is a good one to check out:
Labour force characteristics by age and sex Seasonally adjusted
| Decem 2011 | January 2012 | Dec 2011 to Jan 2012 | Jan 2011 to Jan 2012 | Dec 2011 to Ja 2012 | Jan 2011 to Jan 2012 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| thousands (except rates) | change in thousands (except rates) | % change | ||||
| Both sexes, 15 years and over | ||||||
| Population | 28,130.8 | 28,156.4 | 25.6 | 315.6 | 0.1 | 1.1 |
| Labour force | 18,754.5 | 18,778.2 | 23.7 | 106.6 | 0.1 | 0.6 |
| Employment | 17,354.7 | 17,357.0 | 2.3 | 129.1 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| Full-time | 14,052.5 | 14,048.9 | -3.6 | 170.4 | 0.0 | 1.2 |
| Part-time | 3,302.2 | 3,308.1 | 5.9 | -41.4 | 0.2 | -1.2 |
| Unemployment | 1,399.8 | 1,421.2 | 21.4 | -22.5 | 1.5 | -1.6 |
| Participation rate | 66.7 | 66.7 | 0.0 | -0.4 | … | … |
| Unemployment rate | 7.5 | 7.6 | 0.1 | -0.1 | … | … |
| Employment rate | 61.7 | 61.6 | -0.1 | -0.3 | … | … |
| Part-time rate | 19.0 | 19.1 | 0.1 | -0.3 | … | … |
| Youths, 15 to 24 years | ||||||
| Population | 4,457.3 | 4,457.0 | -0.3 | -2.3 | 0.0 | -0.1 |
| Labour force | 2,845.6 | 2,847.8 | 2.2 | -33.9 | 0.1 | -1.2 |
| Employment | 2,444.9 | 2,435.9 | -9.0 | -30.7 | -0.4 | -1.2 |
| Full-time | 1,303.0 | 1,270.0 | -33.0 | -16.3 | -2.5 | -1.3 |
| Part-time | 1,141.9 | 1,165.9 | 24.0 | -14.4 | 2.1 | -1.2 |
| Unemployment | 400.6 | 411.9 | 11.3 | -3.2 | 2.8 | -0.8 |
| Participation rate | 63.8 | 63.9 | 0.1 | -0.7 | … | … |
| Unemployment rate | 14.1 | 14.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | … | … |
| Employment rate | 54.9 | 54.7 | -0.2 | -0.6 | … | … |
| Part-time rate | 46.7 | 47.9 | 1.2 | 0.0 | … | … |
| Men, 25 years and over | ||||||
| Population | 11,583.7 | 11,596.5 | 12.8 | 158.6 | 0.1 | 1.4 |
| Labour force | 8,429.3 | 8,431.8 | 2.5 | 72.4 | 0.0 | 0.9 |
| Employment | 7,875.5 | 7,873.7 | -1.8 | 75.1 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| Full-time | 7,272.1 | 7,261.9 | -10.2 | 83.3 | -0.1 | 1.2 |
| Part-time | 603.4 | 611.9 | 8.5 | -8.2 | 1.4 | -1.3 |
| Unemployment | 553.8 | 558.1 | 4.3 | -2.6 | 0.8 | -0.5 |
| Participation rate | 72.8 | 72.7 | -0.1 | -0.4 | … | … |
| Unemployment rate | 6.6 | 6.6 | 0.0 | -0.1 | … | … |
| Employment rate | 68.0 | 67.9 | -0.1 | -0.3 | … | … |
| Part-time rate | 7.7 | 7.8 | 0.1 | -0.2 | … | … |
| Women, 25 years and over | ||||||
| Population | 12,089.8 | 12,102.9 | 13.1 | 159.3 | 0.1 | 1.3 |
| Labour force | 7,479.6 | 7,498.6 | 19.0 | 68.0 | 0.3 | 0.9 |
| Employment | 7,034.3 | 7,047.3 | 13.0 | 84.6 | 0.2 | 1.2 |
| Full-time | 5,477.4 | 5,517.0 | 39.6 | 103.4 | 0.7 | 1.9 |
| Part-time | 1,556.9 | 1,530.3 | -26.6 | -18.8 | -1.7 | -1.2 |
| Unemployment | 445.4 | 451.3 | 5.9 | -16.5 | 1.3 | -3.5 |
| Participation rate | 61.9 | 62.0 | 0.1 | -0.2 | … | … |
| Unemployment rate | 6.0 | 6.0 | 0.0 | -0.3 | … | … |
| Employment rate | 58.2 | 58.2 | 0.0 | -0.1 | … | … |
| Part-time rate | 22.1 | 21.7 | -0.4 | -0.5 | … | … |
Employment Numbers 2012
- Employment Hovers in January 2012 in Canada. Both full-time and part-time employment were essentially unchanged in January. Compared with 12 months earlier, full-time workers rose 1.2% (+170,000), while part-time workers fell 1.2% (-41,000). At the same time, total hours worked grew 1.4%, with all of the increase in the first half of the period.
- Unemployment Drops a Little in February 2012. Employment declined in retail and wholesale trade; transportation and warehousing; health care and social assistance; and public administration. These declines were offset by increases in finance, insurance, real estate and leasing; educational services; and business, building and other support services.
- Easter Bunny Bounces Jobs Into March 2012 in Canada. Compared with 12 months earlier, employment rose 1.1%, or 197,000. Almost all of this growth was in full-time employment, up 181,000 (+1.3%), while part-time employment edged up. Total hours worked rose 1.6% over the same period.
- More Working and Higher Unemployment in April (2012)! Compared with 12 months earlier, employment was up 1.2% or 214,000. All of the growth over the 12 months was in full-time work, up 217,000 (+1.6%), while part-time employment was unchanged. Total hours worked rose 1.5% over the same period.
- Employment for May 2012 About the Same? Compared with 12 months earlier, employment increased 1.2% or 203,000. Virtually all of this growth was in full-time work, up 192,000 (+1.4%). Total hours worked rose 1.3% over the same period.
- Leaking Part-time Jobs in July 2012 in Canada is not a good thing over the summer
- More Jobs in August in Canada? Hot Dang! Good news is always good.
- Employment Boost in September in Canada continued; good news
- No More Jobs in October 2012, but No Less. Compared with 12 months earlier, employment increased 1.3% or 229,000, all in full-time work. The total number of hours worked also rose 1.3% over the same period.
- Yes! More Jobs in Canada in November 2012. Compared with 12 months earlier, employment increased 1.7% or 294,000, mostly in full-time work. Over the same period, total hours worked rose 1.3%.
- More Jobs in Canada in December 2012. Employment rose by 40,000 in December, the fourth increase in five months. December’s increase was all in full-time work. The unemployment rate declined 0.1 percentage points to 7.1%, the lowest in four years.
The situation is much worse than the official propaganda numbers reveal. Underemployment has skyrocketed since 2008. Fewer full time, more part time – fewer hours worked per employee. Good manufacturing jobs have died, replaced by low-wage service sector employment. Marginal employment – commissioned, self-employed, contract work – makes up a bigger portion of the market. And this all ignores that inflation is much higher than the official stats indicate. Our housing bubble, long denied by Canada’s genius realtors and Banks, is finally being recognized, and it’s far too late to resolve the problem. Canada has been very, very cocky about our economy. The reckoning cometh.