Unemployment rate dips to 8.2 percent
The economy created 21,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate fell a tick to 8.2 percent, official data showed Friday in a report highlighting recovery momentum.
The increase in payrolls was mostly due to full-time jobs, while new part-time jobs declined after driving January's job rises to 43,000. The January jobless rate stood at 8.3 percent.
The Statistics Canada figures were slightly better than the consensus analyst forecast of the creation of 18,000 jobs and no change in the unemployment rate.
The Canadian labor market has strengthened amid a budding recovery, with 159,000 jobs created since July 2009.
The central bank earlier this month said Canada's economy grew at an annual rate of five percent in the fourth quarter of 2009, crediting vigorous domestic spending and a recovery in exports.
Copyright 2010 AFP American Edition
