Canada’s payroll employment fell by 49,600 in August, according to Statistics Canada’s October 29 release. The monthly decline followed a smaller decrease in July, with public administration accounting for the largest sector loss. Job vacancies were broadly unchanged at 507,200. Alberta’s average weekly earnings stood at $1,404.59, up 3.5 percent from a year earlier. These are provincial and national measures, not Lethbridge-specific figures. The release also notes that earnings changes can reflect working hours and the mix of jobs as well as wage rates. Although published today, the statistics describe August conditions and should not be presented as October job losses.
