Canada’s unemployment rate in May of this year was 6.2%, up 0.1 percentage points from April and up nearly a full percentage point from a year earlier.
Statistics Canada said that employment overall was little changed in May, rising by 27,000 net new positions in the month.
While employment grew for younger women aged 15 to 24 and people older than 55, it declined for core-aged women (aged 25 to 54) by 40,000 jobs and young men by 23,000 positions.
Employment rose in healthcare and social assistance (up 30,000), finance, insurance and real estate (up 29,000), and in accommodation and food services (up 13,000).
However, employment declined in construction (down 30,000), transportation and warehousing (down 21,000) and utilities (down 5,400).
Across the country, employment increased during May in Ontario (up 50,000), Manitoba (up 7,800), and Saskatchewan (up 5,400).
However, employment declined in most other areas of the country, notably Alberta (down 20,000) and Newfoundland (down 2,100).
Total hours worked among Canadians was unchanged in May but up 1.6% compared with 12 months ago.
Average hourly wages among employees increased 5.1%, or $1.69 per hour, to $34.94 on a year-over-year basis in May, said Statistics Canada.
