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Canada generated a record number of jobs last month and the unemployment rate fell to the lowest in more than four decades, suggesting the labour market remains buoyant despite doubts about the health of the nation’s economy.

Employment increased by 94,100 in November, with broad-based gains across industries of mostly full-time jobs, Statistics Canada said Friday from Ottawa. That’s the largest one-month gain in records dating back to 1976. The jobless rate dropped to 5.6 per cent, also the lowest in the data, from 5.8 per cent in October.

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This strength was a major surprise — economists were only expecting a gain of 10,000 — in an economy that has been hit by major headwinds in recent weeks, particularly in the oil sector.

The report could potentially ease some concerns the economy could be headed into a sharp slowdown.

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Even the oil-producing hub of Alberta showed strength, adding 23,700 jobs on the month and pushing down the unemployment rate.