January Job Market Sizzles with 88,900 Jobs Created

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Canada's economy added far more jobs than expected in January, with
Alberta and British Columbia leading the pack, Statistics Canada said
Friday.

Economists had been looking for the country to create 10,000 to 15,000
jobs last month. But the agency said 88,900 jobs were added.

Much of that growth was concentrated in the two westernmost provinces
- British Columbia created 31,700 jobs, while Alberta contributed
another 24,100. All four western provinces managed to post record-high
employment rates.

Most of the country's employment growth came in the service sector.
Manufacturing continued to be a weak spot in Ontario and Quebec, but
strength in factory hirings in Alberta and Manitoba helped to offset
the weakness in central Canada.

Alberta's 3.3 per cent unemployment rate was again the lowest among
all provinces, while B.C.'s 4.3 per cent rate represented a drop of
almost a full percentage point - matching a 30-year low set last June.

Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia all created jobs last month. But
unemployment rates in all three provinces went up as more people
flooded into the labour force looking for work.

Newfoundland and Labrador was the only province to lose jobs in
January, down 3,100. Its unemployment rate jumped 1.6 percentage
points to 15.4 per cent.

Economists say the jobs report means no change in interest rates any
time soon.