Highlights
- According to data made public today by Statistics Canada, the Quebec City census metropolitan area (CMA) recorded a total of 428,000 jobs in April 2013, comparable to the level seen in March (-100 jobs).
- The region continues to boast one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country: 4.5% in April, up slightly from 4.4% in March.
- The province of Quebec added 2,700 jobs on a monthly basis in April. Unemployment increased slightly to 7.8% (7.7% in March) as workforce growth (+0.2%) outpaced jobs growth (+0.1%).
Commentary
In terms of employment, the month of April was rather calm in the Quebec City region, which recorded a total of 428,000 workers, virtually identical to the figure reported in March. The regional unemployment rate (4.5%) is still one of the lowest in Canada (+4.4% in March) despite the fact that workforce growth (+0.1%) outpaced jobs growth (0%). Meanwhile, Quebec City’s employment rate was 66.2%, the highest level in Quebec and one of the best showings in Canada (good for 7th place in April).
The results for April indicate that construction-industry employment appears to be recovering as the region topped 21,000 jobs last month. Local manufacturers, although still undermined by the fragile global economy, are attempting to put the brakes on sector job losses. As regards services, a number of sub-sectors made large gains last year and will need time to absorb them before doing any more hiring.
The statistics released today clearly indicate that the jobs growth trend seen in Quebec City since October 2012 is continuing. The process, however, is gradual, which means that stability will be generated and dramatic changes will be avoided. It should be noted that the region reached peaks of more than 430,000 jobs in September 2011 and April 2012, although it was unable to maintain the pace in the following months.
Louis Gagnon
Senior Economist
Quebec International
