Quebec's unemployment rate is at its lowest level since Statistics Canada started collecting the data in 1976.

The province’s unemployment rate dropped 0.6 percentage points to 6 per cent, as the national unemployment rate edged up to 6.6 per cent, as more people entered the job market.



Here's a look at unemployment rates by city in Quebec for last month (previous month in brackets):

Saguenay: 6.8 (6.5)

Quebec: 4.6 (4.2)

Sherbrooke: 6.2 (6.2)

Trois-Rivieres: 6.5 (6.5)

Montreal: 6.6 (6.7)

Canada's labour market was surprisingly strong last month, when 77,000 full-time positions were created.

As a result of the full-time work, Statistics Canada says 54,500 net new jobs were gained overall -- far more than expected.

By province, the agency says Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec saw the biggest job gains last month.

A consensus of economists had expected job gains of 11,000 last month and for the unemployment rate to move up to 6.6 per cent, according to Thomson Reuters.



Youth employment gave the overall number a boost as 38,200 more young people found full-time work last month. The unemployment rate for youth slipped 0.3 percentage points to 12 per cent last month as more young people participated in the job market.

By industry, the services sectors gained 31,300 jobs last month while factories added 23,300 positions, including 25,300 more in manufacturing. In services, there was a gain of 25,900 jobs in the professional, scientific and technical services category.

A closer look at the data also shows healthy gains in some of the survey's more-desirable categories -- with 59,400 new jobs created in the private sector and 68,500 new paid employee positions.

The agency said hourly wages for all employees grew 1.3 per cent year-over-year last month, an increase over the April's all-time low of 0.7 per cent. The number of hours worked rose 0.7 per cent, the report said.