The Canadian unemployment rate jumped up to 6.1 per cent in March amid rapid growth in the labour force, Statistics Canada said Friday.
Canadian employers collectively shed 2,200 jobs last month but employment was little changed in the month, the agency said.
Canada’s unemployment rate was 5.8 per cent in February. The spike in the unemployment rate – a full percentage point higher than where it stood a year ago – is tied to an additional 60,000 people looking for work or on temporary layoff in March, StatCan said.
The latest employment data comes days before the Bank of Canada’s next interest rate announcement, which is set for April 10.
– with files from The Canadian Press
