Send this page to someone via email

Statistics Canada says the number of people working in Canada edged lower in October as the manufacturing and construction sectors lost jobs. The unemployment rate held steady at 5.5 per cent.

The federal agency says the economy lost 1,800 jobs in October, following two consecutive months of growth. The number of full-time jobs fell by 16,100, offset in part by a gain of 14,300 part-time jobs.

Story continues below advertisement

Economists on average expected the economy to add a total of 15,900 jobs and an unemployment rate of 5.5 per cent, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.

READ MORE: These are the best-paying jobs you can get without a university degree

The manufacturing sector lost 23,000 jobs, mostly in Ontario, while the construction sector lost 21,000. The losses were offset in part by an increase of 20,000 jobs working in public administration and 18,000 in finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing.

On a year-over-year basis, employment was up by 443,000, an increase of 2.4 per cent.