Canada’s unemployment rate rises to 6.1%

Canada’s unemployment rate jumped to 6.1 per cent in March as more people looked for work in an economy bogged down by high-interest rates.

In a statement released on Friday, April 5, Statistics Canada said employment declined in the hospitality and food sectors, in wholesale and retail trade and in the professional, scientific and technical services sectors.

Jobs were added in health care and social assistance, and the average hourly wage rose 5.1 percent in March, compared with the same period in 2023.

The employment rate, the segment of the population aged 15 and over who are employed fell for the sixth month in a row due to a population boom and now stands at 61.4 percent.

The jump in unemployment comes as high borrowing costs weigh on businesses and strong population growth continues to add to the country’s labour supply. The unemployment rate was up one percentage point on a year-over-year basis.