Ottawa – Canada’s unemployment rate rose to 6.7% in March, up from 6.6% in February, as the economy lost 33,000 jobs, Statistics Canada reported on Friday.
This marks the first increase in the unemployment rate since November 2024. The rate had previously risen from 5.0% in March 2023 to a high of 6.9% in November 2024, before falling by 0.3 percentage points through the end of 2024 and into early 2025 amid strong employment growth.
The latest report noted employment declines among men aged 55 and older. Additionally, unemployed Canadians are finding it more difficult to secure jobs compared to a year ago.
In total, there were 1.5 million unemployed people in March, an increase of 36,000 (+2.5%) from the previous month and 167,000 (+12.4%) year-over-year.
Among those unemployed in February, only 14.7% found work in March, down from 18.6% in March 2024 (not seasonally adjusted).
In terms of sectors, employment in wholesale and retail trade fell by 29,000 (-1.0%) in March, partially offsetting a gain of 51,000 in February. Year-over-year, employment in that sector remained relatively unchanged.