Canada loses 42,000 jobs in August; unemployment holds at 6.4%

Canadian employment fell by 42,000 in August, reversing part of the gains recorded over the previous four months, Statistics Canada reported on September 4.

The unemployment rate stayed at 6.4%. The employment rate, which measures the share of people aged 15 and older who have work, slipped to 60.8%.

Québec lost 19,000 jobs. Ontario’s employment edged down by 18,000, while New Brunswick added 2,400.

Nationally, the picture varied by industry. Business, building and other support services lost 20,000 jobs, while manufacturing gained 22,000.

The unchanged unemployment rate should not be read as unchanged employment. The survey also recorded a lower participation rate, meaning a smaller share of the population was working or looking for work.

Employment remained 217,000 higher than a year earlier. These monthly survey estimates describe the overall labour market; they do not measure the experience of every community or employer.

Source: Statistics Canada — 2026-09-04.