CANADA ECONOMICS
LABOUR
StatCan. 2017-07-07. Labour Force Survey, June 2017
Employment — Canada
18,411,000, June 2017
0.2% increase (monthly change)
Unemployment rate — Canada
6.5%, June 2017
-0.1 pts decrease (monthly change)
Source(s): CANSIM table 282-0087.
Employment rose by 45,000 in June, mostly in part-time work. The unemployment rate was 6.5%, down 0.1 percentage points from the previous month.
Compared with 12 months earlier, there were 351,000 (+1.9%) more people employed. Most of the growth was in full-time work (+248,000 or +1.7%), while part-time employment was also up (+103,000 or +3.0%). The total number of hours worked increased 1.4% over this period.
In the second quarter of 2017, overall employment grew by 103,000 (+0.6%), the fourth consecutive quarter of strong employment growth and the largest quarterly increase since 2010. In the first half of 2017, employment grew by 186,000 (+1.0%), compared with 64,000 (+0.4%) over the first half of 2016.
Chart 1 Chart 1: Employment
Employment
Chart 2 Chart 2: Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate
Highlights
In June, employment rose among women aged 55 and older and edged up among core-aged women, while it was little changed for the other demographic groups.
Employment increased in Quebec and British Columbia.
More people were employed in professional, scientific and technical services, as well as in agriculture. At the same time, employment declined in business, building and other support services.
Continued gains for older workers
In June, employment gains were led by people aged 55 and older, with an increase of 31,000, mostly among women. The unemployment rate for people aged 55 and older was little changed at 5.8%. On a year-over-year basis, employment for this group rose by 133,000 (+3.6%), reflecting a longer term trend related to population aging.
People between the ages of 55 and 64 accounted for about 8 out of 10 workers aged 55 and older. Their estimated year-over-year employment growth rate (unadjusted for seasonality) was 2.5%, relatively in line with their population increase (+2.1%). In comparison, people aged 65 and older comprised a smaller share of older workers, but had the fastest year-over-year employment growth rate among the major demographic groups, rising 6.9% and outpacing their rate of population growth (+3.7%). For more information about recent trends among older workers, see "The impact of aging on labour market participation rates".
Core-age employment edges up for women, holds steady for men
Employment for women aged 25 to 54 edged up by 17,000 in June. Their unemployment rate remained the lowest among the major demographic groups at 5.2%. The employment rate, which is the employment-to-population ratio, has been trending upward for this group, rising 1.0 percentage points to 78.8% compared with 12 months earlier. Employment gains over this period totalled 86,000 (+1.5%).
Among men aged 25 to 54, employment held steady in June, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 5.7%. Compared with 12 months earlier, their unemployment rate fell 0.4 percentage points. Over the same period, employment among men in this age group rose by 89,000 (+1.4%), while their employment rate increased 1.0 percentage points to 86.0%.
Youth employment virtually unchanged
Following an increase in May, there was virtually no change in the number of employed youth in June. Their unemployment rate remained at 12.0%, but was down from 13.0% in June 2016. On a year-over-year basis, employment for this group was up 43,000 or 1.8%, while their population decreased 0.8%.
Summer employment for students
From May to August, the Labour Force Survey collects labour market data on youths aged 15 to 24 who were attending school full time in March and who intend to return to school full time in the fall. The June survey results provide an early indication of the summer job market, especially for students aged 20 to 24, as many younger students are still in school. Published data are not seasonally adjusted, therefore comparisons can only be made with data for the same month in previous years.
Compared with June 2016, employment among students aged 20 to 24 was virtually unchanged, while the employment rate rose 2.6 percentage points to 66.6%. Over the same period, the unemployment rate for this group of students was little changed at 9.4%.
Quebec and British Columbia lead employment gains
There were 28,000 more employed people in Quebec in June, and the unemployment rate remained at a record low of 6.0%. Employment in the province increased notably on a year-over-year basis, up 122,000 (+3.0%).
In British Columbia, employment rose by 20,000 and the unemployment rate declined 0.5 percentage points to 5.1%. On a year-over-year basis, employment grew by 104,000 (+4.4%). Employment in the province has been on a strong upward trend since the spring of 2015.
Employment in Alberta held steady in June, and the unemployment rate fell 0.4 percentage points to 7.4%. Compared with June 2016, employment in the province rose by 49,000 (+2.2%), virtually all in full-time work.
In Ontario, there was little change in the number of people working, and the unemployment rate was also little changed at 6.4%. On a year-over-year basis, employment in the province grew by 75,000 (+1.1%). Employment in the province was virtually unchanged in the first half of 2017, following an upward trend in the second half of 2016.
Quarterly update for the territories
The Labour Force Survey collects labour market data in the territories, produced in the form of three-month moving averages.
In the second quarter of 2017, employment in Yukon was down by 500 compared with the first quarter. At the same time, the unemployment rate was little changed at 4.1%.
In the Northwest Territories, employment in the second quarter was little changed from the previous quarter. Over the same period, the unemployment rate edged down 0.8 percentage points to 6.2%.
Employment in Nunavut rose by 500 in the second quarter, while the unemployment rate was 16.3%.
Largest increase in professional, scientific and technical services
In June, there were 27,000 more people working in professional, scientific and technical services. Employment in this industry rose by 66,000 (+4.7%) compared with 12 months earlier, making it the fastest-growing industry over this period. Most of the increase was in computer system design services.
Employment in agriculture increased by 12,000 in June. Employment in this industry was at virtually the same level as it was 12 months earlier.
There were 15,000 fewer people working in business, building and other support services in June, bringing year-over-year losses to 23,000 (-3.0%). This industry is broad and includes administrative and cleaning services to businesses and buildings, as well as employment services.
In June, the number of employees was little changed in both the private and public sectors. Compared with 12 months earlier, the number of private sector employees increased by 227,000 (+1.9%), while the number of public sector employees increased by 105,000 (+2.9%).
Self-employment edged up in June (+21,000), but was little changed on a year-over-year basis.
Chart 3 Chart 3: Unemployment rates in Canada and the United States, 1976 to 2016
Unemployment rates in Canada and the United States, 1976 to 2016
FULL DOCUMENT: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/170707/dq170707a-eng.pdf
TRADE DEFENCE
Canadian International Trade Tribunal. July 6, 2017. Tribunal Initiates Final Injury Inquiry—Silicon Metal from Brazil, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, Norway and Thailand
Ottawa — The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (the Tribunal) today initiated an inquiry to determine whether the dumping of silicon metal originating in or exported from the Federative Republic of Brazil (Brazil), the Republic of Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan), Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Kingdom of Norway (Norway) and the Kingdom of Thailand (Thailand), and subsidizing of the above-mentioned goods from Brazil, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Norway and Thailand have caused injury or retardation or are threatening to cause injury. This final injury inquiry was initiated further to a notice received from the Canada Border Services Agency stating that preliminary determinations had been made respecting the dumping and subsidizing of the above-mentioned goods.
On November 2, 2017, the Tribunal will determine whether the dumping and subsidizing have caused injury or retardation or are threatening to cause injury to the domestic industry.
The Tribunal is an independent quasi-judicial body that reports to Parliament through the Minister of Finance. It hears cases on dumped and subsidized imports, safeguard complaints, complaints about federal government procurement and appeals of customs and excise tax rulings. When requested by the federal government, the Tribunal also provides advice on other economic, trade and tariff matters.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
TCS. 07/07/2017. Canada’s State of Trade: 2017 Report
Canadian exports of non-resource-based goods and services each grew in 2016, a reflection of the overall growth in the global economy, a trend which continues to gain momentum, indicates the newly‑released Canada's State of Trade – 2017.
Canada’s State of Trade is an annual publication that provides an overview of Canada’s international trade and investment performance over the previous year. It also reviews the state of the global economy and that of Canada’s main trading partners.
The 2017 report notes that the global economy appears to have shifted into a higher gear at the end of 2016 and that momentum will carry into this year and the next one. This stronger growth is already being reflected in Canada’s international trade performance which saw Canada’s exports of non‑resource‑based goods and of services each growing a solid 4.8 percent last year.
Special boxes in the 2017 report examine diverse issues including women‑owned businesses and their participation in international commerce, trade between Canadian provinces and U.S. states, and the operations of foreign multinational companies in Canada.
FULL DOCUMENT: http://www.international.gc.ca/economist-economiste/assets/pdfs/performance/sot-2017-eng.pdf
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