Friday November 6 definitive StatsCan labour-market report, replacing yesterday's jobs forecast with verified results.
Employment little changed, unemployment higher
Canada's economy lost an estimated 4,700 jobs in October 2026, and the unemployment rate climbed by 0.2 percentage points to 6.7%, Statistics Canada reported November 6. The labour force survey measured conditions during the October 11–17 reference week. Overall employment was near 21.1 million, and the employment rate fell to 60.5%. October's relatively small net loss followed much larger declines of 68,000 in September and 42,000 in August. Monthly samples have statistical variability and may be revised.
Private jobs fall while public employment grows
The private sector shed 53,000 employee positions in October while public-sector employment rose by about 50,000. Wholesale and retail trade lost 29,000 jobs, transportation and warehousing also weakened, construction added about 16,000 and education added roughly 15,000. These categories show why the national total can look stable even as industries change sharply. Canada's year-over-year employment level increased only 17,000, according to the federal agency.
Young and long-term jobseekers face pressure
Unemployment among people aged 15 to 24 reached 13.7%, while nearly 23.7% of unemployed Canadians had been searching for at least 27 weeks. Average hourly wages increased 2.2% year-over-year, slower than some recent months. Federal Budget 2026, unveiled the previous day, focuses on longer-term investment and affordability, but its expected benefits cannot be inferred from October data. CDN News distinguishes today's actual survey from yesterday's predictions.
Sources & transparency
Reuters, Canada's unemployment reaches six-month high Nov 6Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey October 2026, published Nov 6Original CDN News coverage. Sources are linked for reference.
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