Canada shed 65,500 positions in August, marking a second straight month-to-month decline, in line with Statistics Canada’s labour drive survey launched this morning.
The employment charge fell to 60.5%, whereas the unemployment charge rose 0.2 factors to 7.1%—its highest degree since Could 2016, excluding 2020 and 2021, StatCan reported.
Each the job losses and the rise in unemployment got here in greater than economists had anticipated.
The decline was pushed largely by part-time positions, which fell by 60,000, whereas full-time employment was little modified.
Employment fell throughout a number of industries, led by skilled, scientific and technical providers (-26,100), transportation and warehousing (-22,700) and manufacturing (-19,200). Development was a brilliant spot, including 17,000 jobs, or 1.1%.
Whole hours labored had been basically flat in August (+0.1%), although up 0.9% from a yr earlier. Common hourly wages rose 3.2% year-over-year to $36.31.
BMO’s Douglas Porter didn’t mince phrases, calling the discharge “arguably the weakest jobs report because the pandemic days.” Nonetheless, he added a small qualifier.
“The small print of the discharge weren’t fairly as dire because the headline outcomes, however nonetheless largely weak,” he added.
U.S. job figures, additionally launched this morning, pointed to softness as properly. Non-farm payrolls rose by 22,000—under expectations—whereas beneficial properties from the prior two months had been revised down by a mixed 21,000.
BoC more likely to weigh inflation extra closely than weak jobs in subsequent charge choice
Although August’s job numbers got here in weaker than anticipated, economists stress the Financial institution of Canada will finally base its choice on the inflation report due later this month.
TD’s Leslie Preston famous the comfortable knowledge aligns with the BoC’s current description of an “extra provide of labour” in its Financial Coverage Report. She added that whereas such situations haven’t but prompted cuts, market expectations are starting to shift.
“Markets are actually placing odds on the following minimize coming in September,” she famous. “We have now lengthy anticipated two extra cuts this yr, with the inflation report on September 16 seemingly to assist cement the timing of the following minimize.”
Whereas economists agree at the moment’s jobs knowledge gained’t outweigh the upcoming inflation report, Scotiabank’s Derek Holt famous the Financial institution of Canada will nonetheless take these numbers under consideration.
“Does it matter to the BoC? You wager it does,” he wrote. “A significant decline in employment can be taken dovishly by the BoC.”
CIBC’s Andrew Grantham famous the weakening labour market isn’t restricted to tariff-sensitive sectors, suggesting the BoC has a job in supporting demand and hiring. CIBC expects charge cuts to be a part of that response.
“We proceed to forecast a September minimize and an extra discount in This fall, which ought to assist the labour market stabilise in direction of year-end and produce a gradual restoration in 2026, assuming no additional dramatic modifications in U.S. commerce coverage,” he wrote.
Canadian bond yields fell following the discharge. The 5-year yield dropped to 2.75% from 2.84%, whereas the 10-year slipped to three.23% from 3.31%.
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Final modified: September 5, 2025
