Friday, November 3, 2006 Released at 7:00 a.m. Eastern time in The Daily

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Employment increased by an estimated 51,000 in October following four months of little change. The unemployment rate declined 0.2 percentage points to 6.2%. Since the beginning of the year, employment has increased by 261,000 (+1.6%).

Full-time employment showed continued strength, jumping by 68,000 in October. For the first 10 months of 2006, full-time employment increased by 1.9% or 259,000 workers.

Full-time growth for youth was strong in October (+36,000), with one-third of the gains coming from Alberta.

Nationally, the unemployment rate for adult women set a record low, dropping to 4.9%, while for adult men it edged down to 5.4%.

The western provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan continued to outpace the rest of the country in employment growth so far this year. In Alberta alone, employment for the month increased by 23,000 in October, while the unemployment rate hit a three-decade low of 3.0%.

Manufacturing continued its downward trend in October. So far in 2006, there are 83,000 fewer factory workers across Canada, with Central Canada being particularly hard hit.

In October, there were also losses in professional, scientific and technical services and agriculture; however, these declines were more than offset by increases in several industries including education; construction; business, building and other support services; as well as public administration.

Construction employment increased by 21,000 in October — with two-thirds of the growth coming from Alberta. Since the beginning of 2006, the national level of employment in the industry has remained relatively flat, following two years of rapid growth.

More Alberta youths working

Following four months of weakness, youth employment jumped by 34,000 in October, all in full time. Almost half of the employment growth came from Alberta, pushing the youth employment rate up 2.9 percentage points to 67.5%, the highest rate in the country.

Adult women continued to add to full-time employment in October, outpacing the rate of job growth for both adult men and youth so far this year.

No rest for the West

Alberta's unemployment rate fell 0.5 percentage points to 3.0% in October, the lowest in 30 years, driven by strong gains in employment (+23,000). The unemployment rate for adult men plummeted to 1.8%. The last time it was lower was in July 1976 at 1.5%. So far in 2006, 102,000 workers (+5.7%) have been added to the Alberta labour market, accounting for 39.2% of the growth in Canada's employment.

In October, Alberta's gains came from construction, educational services and natural resources. Over the first 10 months of 2006, employment in natural resources increased 15.6%, while construction rose by 14.3%.

British Columbia added 13,000 more workers in October, bringing total gains since the start of the year to 47,000 or 2.2%.The unemployment rate remains among the lowest in the country at 4.6%. Increases over the first 10 months of 2006 occurred in a number of industries, including business, building and other support services, health care and social assistance, and educational services.

Employment in Saskatchewan (+3,000) continued to increase in October. Since the start of the year, 21,000 workers (+4.3%) have been added, mostly in trade, accommodation and food services, and construction. This rate of growth is second only to Alberta. The unemployment rate declined 0.4 percentage points to 3.9%, a rate not seen since July 1981.

In the Atlantic region, New Brunswick's employment increased by 3,000 in October, regaining some of the losses from the previous four months. So far in 2006, employment has declined 0.7%, with weaknesses in trade, health and social assistance, as well as educational services.

Although there was little increase in October, Newfoundland and Labrador's employment has grown 4.0% (+9,000) since the start of 2006. Health care and social assistance, educational services, as well as natural resources were all strong contributors to this year's growth.

Manufacturing woes continue in Central Canada

Manufacturing employment continued its downward trend in October (-15,000) with the lion's share of the losses in Ontario and Quebec. Over the first 10 months of 2006, losses have totaled 83,000 or down 3.8% across Canada.

In Ontario, despite losses in manufacturing (-18,000), overall employment was little changed in October. Employment gains in finance, insurance, real estate and leasing, as well as educational services made up for the losses sustained in the manufacturing industry. The unemployment rate declined to 6.4% in October, the result of fewer people looking for work.

In Quebec, public administration as well as business, building and other support services all gained more workers for the month, which offset the drop in manufacturing (-8,000). In October, the unemployment rate edged down to a 30-year low of 7.7%.

Employment growth in both Quebec and Ontario is 0.8% so far in 2006, only half the national rate.

Available on CANSIM: tables 282-0001 to 282-0042, 282-0047 to 282-0064, 282-0069 to 282-0099.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 3701.

Available at 7:00 a.m. online under The Daily module of our website.

A more detailed summary, Labour Force Information (71-001-XIE, free) is now available online for the week ending October 14. From the Publications module of our website, under Free internet publications, choose Labour. LAN and bulk prices are available on request. The CD-ROM Labour Force Historical Review, 2005 (71F0004XCB, $209) is also available.

Data tables are also now available online. From the By Subject module of our website choose Labour.

The next release of the Labour Force Survey will be on December 1.

For general information or to order data, contact Client Services (toll-free 1-866-873-8788; 613-951-4090; labour@statcan.ca). To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Vincent Ferrao (613-951-4750) or Jane Lin (613-951-9691), Labour Statistics Division.

Labour force characteristics by age and sex
	September 2006	October 2006	September to October 2006	October 2005 to October 2006	September to October 2006	October 2005 to October 2006
	Seasonally adjusted
	thousands		change in thousands		% change
Both sexes 15+
Population	26,265.5	26,298.9	33.4	370.5	0.1	1.4
Labour force	17,635.9	17,641.2	5.3	218.0	0.0	1.3
Employment	16,505.0	16,555.5	50.5	287.6	0.3	1.8
Full-time	13,549.9	13,617.5	67.6	336.2	0.5	2.5
Part-time	2,955.1	2,938.0	-17.1	-48.5	-0.6	-1.6
Unemployment	1,131.0	1,085.7	-45.3	-69.6	-4.0	-6.0
Participation rate	67.1	67.1	0.0	-0.1	...	...
Unemployment rate	6.4	6.2	-0.2	-0.4	...	...
Employment rate	62.8	63.0	0.2	0.3	...	...
Part-time rate	17.9	17.7	-0.2	-0.7	...	...
Youths 15 to 24
Population	4,328.2	4,332.1	3.9	36.4	0.1	0.8
Labour force	2,865.3	2,871.5	6.2	33.5	0.2	1.2
Employment	2,513.1	2,547.4	34.3	51.2	1.4	2.1
Full-time	1,422.7	1,458.9	36.2	84.8	2.5	6.2
Part-time	1,090.4	1,088.5	-1.9	-33.7	-0.2	-3.0
Unemployment	352.2	324.1	-28.1	-17.6	-8.0	-5.2
Participation rate	66.2	66.3	0.1	0.2	...	...
Unemployment rate	12.3	11.3	-1.0	-0.7	...	...
Employment rate	58.1	58.8	0.7	0.7	...	...
Part-time rate	43.4	42.7	-0.7	-2.3	...	...
Men 25+
Population	10,713.9	10,728.7	14.8	166.7	0.1	1.6
Labour force	7,898.8	7,889.9	-8.9	61.6	-0.1	0.8
Employment	7,460.6	7,466.4	5.8	73.9	0.1	1.0
Full-time	6,979.5	6,991.2	11.7	83.0	0.2	1.2
Part-time	481.1	475.2	-5.9	-9.1	-1.2	-1.9
Unemployment	438.2	423.6	-14.6	-12.2	-3.3	-2.8
Participation rate	73.7	73.5	-0.2	-0.6	...	...
Unemployment rate	5.5	5.4	-0.1	-0.2	...	...
Employment rate	69.6	69.6	0.0	-0.4	...	...
Part-time rate	6.4	6.4	0.0	-0.2	...	...
Women 25+
Population	11,223.4	11,238.1	14.7	167.4	0.1	1.5
Labour force	6,871.8	6,879.8	8.0	122.9	0.1	1.8
Employment	6,531.3	6,541.8	10.5	162.7	0.2	2.6
Full-time	5,147.7	5,167.4	19.7	168.4	0.4	3.4
Part-time	1,383.6	1,374.4	-9.2	-5.6	-0.7	-0.4
Unemployment	340.6	338.0	-2.6	-39.8	-0.8	-10.5
Participation rate	61.2	61.2	0.0	0.2	...	...
Unemployment rate	5.0	4.9	-0.1	-0.7	...	...
Employment rate	58.2	58.2	0.0	0.6	...	...
Part-time rate	21.2	21.0	-0.2	-0.6	...	...
... not applicable Note: Related CANSIM table 282-0087.

Employment by class of worker and industry (based on NAICS1)
	September 2006	October 2006	September to October 2006	October 2005 to October 2006	September to October 2006	October 2005 to October 2006
	Seasonally adjusted
	thousands		change in thousands		% change
Class of worker
Employees	14,013.2	14,087.6	74.4	369.6	0.5	2.7
Self-employed	2,491.8	2,467.9	-23.9	-82.0	-1.0	-3.2
Public/private sector employees
Public	3,190.3	3,222.4	32.1	80.4	1.0	2.6
Private	10,822.9	10,865.2	42.3	289.2	0.4	2.7
All industries	16,505.0	16,555.5	50.5	287.6	0.3	1.8
Goods-producing sector	3,967.6	3,977.0	9.4	-17.2	0.2	-0.4
Agriculture	348.7	339.0	-9.7	-13.3	-2.8	-3.8
Natural resources	333.4	341.5	8.1	26.3	2.4	8.3
Utilities	121.6	127.1	5.5	5.5	4.5	4.5
Construction	1,058.5	1,079.2	20.7	43.5	2.0	4.2
Manufacturing	2,105.4	2,090.2	-15.2	-79.1	-0.7	-3.6
Service-producing sector	12,537.4	12,578.5	41.1	304.9	0.3	2.5
Trade	2,637.0	2,629.1	-7.9	40.2	-0.3	1.6
Transportation and warehousing	793.4	800.5	7.1	-2.2	0.9	-0.3
Finance, insurance, real estate and leasing	1,042.3	1,055.7	13.4	66.4	1.3	6.7
Professional, scientific and technical services	1,101.9	1,084.1	-17.8	6.2	-1.6	0.6
Business, building and other support services	697.5	712.9	15.4	48.0	2.2	7.2
Educational services	1,150.4	1,174.1	23.7	43.6	2.1	3.9
Health care and social assistance	1,802.6	1,803.0	0.4	45.8	0.0	2.6
Information, culture and recreation	752.2	748.3	-3.9	7.4	-0.5	1.0
Accommodation and food services	1,028.7	1,035.0	6.3	34.2	0.6	3.4
Other services	703.6	696.4	-7.2	-0.5	-1.0	-0.1
Public administration	827.7	839.3	11.6	15.6	1.4	1.9
1. North American Industry Classification System. Note: Related to CANSIM tables 282–0088 and 282–0089.

Labour force characteristics by province
	September 2006	October 2006	September to October 2006	October 2005 to October 2006	September to October 2006	October 2005 to October 2006
	Seasonally adjusted
	thousands		change in thousands		% change
Newfoundland and Labrador
Population	427.2	426.9	-0.3	-2.4	-0.1	-0.6
Labour force	253.1	255.6	2.5	3.0	1.0	1.2
Employment	217.4	219.4	2.0	5.2	0.9	2.4
Full-time	185.8	186.6	0.8	3.2	0.4	1.7
Part-time	31.5	32.8	1.3	2.0	4.1	6.5
Unemployment	35.7	36.2	0.5	-2.2	1.4	-5.7
Participation rate	59.2	59.9	0.7	1.1	...	...
Unemployment rate	14.1	14.2	0.1	-1.0	...	...
Employment rate	50.9	51.4	0.5	1.5	...	...
Prince Edward Island
Population	112.5	112.5	0.0	0.7	0.0	0.6
Labour force	76.8	76.3	-0.5	-0.5	-0.7	-0.7
Employment	68.5	67.8	-0.7	-0.4	-1.0	-0.6
Full-time	57.4	56.8	-0.6	-0.8	-1.0	-1.4
Part-time	11.1	11.0	-0.1	0.4	-0.9	3.8
Unemployment	8.3	8.5	0.2	-0.1	2.4	-1.2
Participation rate	68.3	67.8	-0.5	-0.9	...	...
Unemployment rate	10.8	11.1	0.3	-0.1	...	...
Employment rate	60.9	60.3	-0.6	-0.7	...	...
Nova Scotia
Population	763.1	763.2	0.1	1.5	0.0	0.2
Labour force	476.3	480.2	3.9	-4.7	0.8	-1.0
Employment	439.4	441.0	1.6	-2.1	0.4	-0.5
Full-time	358.7	358.2	-0.5	-2.2	-0.1	-0.6
Part-time	80.7	82.8	2.1	0.1	2.6	0.1
Unemployment	36.9	39.2	2.3	-2.6	6.2	-6.2
Participation rate	62.4	62.9	0.5	-0.8	...	...
Unemployment rate	7.7	8.2	0.5	-0.4	...	...
Employment rate	57.6	57.8	0.2	-0.4	...	...
New Brunswick
Population	611.2	611.0	-0.2	-0.4	0.0	-0.1
Labour force	383.7	383.8	0.1	-6.1	0.0	-1.6
Employment	349.6	352.7	3.1	5.4	0.9	1.6
Full-time	294.7	297.9	3.2	7.2	1.1	2.5
Part-time	54.9	54.8	-0.1	-1.8	-0.2	-3.2
Unemployment	34.1	31.1	-3.0	-11.5	-8.8	-27.0
Participation rate	62.8	62.8	0.0	-1.0	...	...
Unemployment rate	8.9	8.1	-0.8	-2.8	...	...
Employment rate	57.2	57.7	0.5	0.9	...	...
Quebec
Population	6,266.6	6,272.6	6.0	68.2	0.1	1.1
Labour force	4,107.8	4,101.7	-6.1	18.2	-0.1	0.4
Employment	3,777.3	3,784.5	7.2	40.8	0.2	1.1
Full-time	3,088.5	3,115.0	26.5	58.1	0.9	1.9
Part-time	688.7	669.4	-19.3	-17.4	-2.8	-2.5
Unemployment	330.6	317.2	-13.4	-22.6	-4.1	-6.7
Participation rate	65.6	65.4	-0.2	-0.4	...	...
Unemployment rate	8.0	7.7	-0.3	-0.6	...	...
Employment rate	60.3	60.3	0.0	0.0	...	...
... not applicable Note: Related CANSIM table 282-0087.

Labour force characteristics by province
	September 2006	October 2006	September to October 2006	October 2005 to October 2006	September to October 2006	October 2005 to October 2006
	Seasonally adjusted
	thousands		change in thousands		% change
Ontario
Population	10,259.9	10,270.7	10.8	141.9	0.1	1.4
Labour force	6,943.6	6,926.9	-16.7	37.4	-0.2	0.5
Employment	6,487.3	6,485.5	-1.8	35.6	0.0	0.6
Full-time	5,329.8	5,346.6	16.8	42.8	0.3	0.8
Part-time	1,157.5	1,138.9	-18.6	-7.2	-1.6	-0.6
Unemployment	456.3	441.4	-14.9	1.8	-3.3	0.4
Participation rate	67.7	67.4	-0.3	-0.6	...	...
Unemployment rate	6.6	6.4	-0.2	0.0	...	...
Employment rate	63.2	63.1	-0.1	-0.6	...	...
Manitoba
Population	892.9	893.1	0.2	2.9	0.0	0.3
Labour force	615.2	613.8	-1.4	6.1	-0.2	1.0
Employment	588.2	588.2	0.0	7.7	0.0	1.3
Full-time	471.9	468.5	-3.4	2.9	-0.7	0.6
Part-time	116.3	119.8	3.5	4.9	3.0	4.3
Unemployment	27.0	25.5	-1.5	-1.7	-5.6	-6.3
Participation rate	68.9	68.7	-0.2	0.4	...	...
Unemployment rate	4.4	4.2	-0.2	-0.3	...	...
Employment rate	65.9	65.9	0.0	0.7	...	...
Saskatchewan
Population	746.1	746.1	0.0	-2.7	0.0	-0.4
Labour force	519.4	520.6	1.2	15.4	0.2	3.0
Employment	497.3	500.3	3.0	21.5	0.6	4.5
Full-time	408.8	406.9	-1.9	23.5	-0.5	6.1
Part-time	88.5	93.4	4.9	-1.9	5.5	-2.0
Unemployment	22.1	20.3	-1.8	-6.2	-8.1	-23.4
Participation rate	69.6	69.8	0.2	2.3	...	...
Unemployment rate	4.3	3.9	-0.4	-1.3	...	...
Employment rate	66.7	67.1	0.4	3.2	...	...
Alberta
Population	2,662.0	2,673.9	11.9	99.8	0.4	3.9
Labour force	1,948.2	1,960.6	12.4	92.0	0.6	4.9
Employment	1,879.5	1,902.1	22.6	108.6	1.2	6.1
Full-time	1,582.8	1,614.3	31.5	135.6	2.0	9.2
Part-time	296.7	287.8	-8.9	-27.0	-3.0	-8.6
Unemployment	68.8	58.5	-10.3	-16.6	-15.0	-22.1
Participation rate	73.2	73.3	0.1	0.7	...	...
Unemployment rate	3.5	3.0	-0.5	-1.0	...	...
Employment rate	70.6	71.1	0.5	1.4	...	...
British Columbia
Population	3,524.0	3,528.9	4.9	61.0	0.1	1.8
Labour force	2,311.8	2,321.7	9.9	57.3	0.4	2.5
Employment	2,200.7	2,214.0	13.3	65.3	0.6	3.0
Full-time	1,771.2	1,766.5	-4.7	65.2	-0.3	3.8
Part-time	429.5	447.5	18.0	0.1	4.2	0.0
Unemployment	111.1	107.7	-3.4	-8.0	-3.1	-6.9
Participation rate	65.6	65.8	0.2	0.5	...	...
Unemployment rate	4.8	4.6	-0.2	-0.5	...	...
Employment rate	62.4	62.7	0.3	0.7	...	...
... not applicable Note: Related CANSIM table 282-0087.