Canada's employment continues upward trend in March
Darpan News Desk IANS, 06 Apr, 2023 03:40 PM
Canada's employment grew by 35,000, or 0.2 per cent, in March, following little change in February and strong growth in January and December, Statistics Canada said.
Employment has generally trended up since September 2022. Over that period, the number of people employed has increased by 383,000, or 1.9 per cent, the national statistical agency added on Thursday.
Employment gains in March were concentrated among private sector employees and there was little change in the number of public sector employees and self-employed workers, the agency said.
According to the agency, for the fourth consecutive month, the unemployment rate was five per cent in March, just above the record low of 4.9 per cent observed in June and July of 2022, Xinhua news agency reported.
Total hours worked rose 0.4 per cent in March and were up 1.6 per cent on a year-over-year basis, the agency said.
Average hourly wages rose 5.3 per cent to 33.12 Canadian dollars ($24.5) on a year-over-year basis in March, compared with 5.4 per cent in February, Statistics Canada added.
Last week, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said the province was seeing a "dramatic increase" in illness and it arrived sooner than the seasonal flu usually would. Health Minister Adrian Dix said at the same time that provincial emergency rooms had been seeing a peak of up to 6,900 patients daily.
The provincial and territorial leaders issued their call for a sit-down with Trudeau after a closed-door meeting in Winnipeg, one month after talks with the federal government on health-care funding ended without an agreement.
The centre says in a new update that influenza A was the most detected virus in B.C. last week, while wastewater tests indicate a slow increase in COVID-19 infections. It says B.C. is experiencing an unusual season for respiratory illnesses with "unusual characteristics," including an intense early surge in cases and the flu-related deaths of children and youth.
Police found a woman suffering from gunshot wounds inside a vehicle and immediately began lifesaving measures. The woman later passed away due to her injuries on scene. This is believed to be an isolated incident.
The Pfizer vaccine is the first "bivalent" shot to be approved for use in children. Health Canada says in a press release that after the thorough review, it has found the vaccine is safe and effective and that its benefits outweigh any potential risks when used as a booster dose.
The bird-friendly cities are: Halifax; Toronto, London, Hamilton, Burlington, Peterborough, Barrie, Halton Hills, Windsor and Guelph in Ontario; Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que.; Regina; Strathcona County, Edmonton and Calgary in Alberta; and Vancouver, Saanich and Lions Bay in B.C.
