Canada Loses 84,000 Jobs in February, Unemployment at 6.7%

OTTAWA Canada's employment fell sharply in February, with a net loss of 84,000 jobs that drove the national unemployment rate up to 6.7 per cent from 6.5 per cent the previous month, Statistics Canada reported Friday.

The decline exceeded economists' expectations, which had anticipated a modest gain of 10,000 jobs according to a Reuters poll. Full-time employment dropped by more than 100,000 positions, while the private sector shed 73,000 jobs. This marked the second consecutive month of losses to open 2026, following a decrease of 25,000 jobs in January. Despite the recent setbacks, total employment remained largely unchanged from February 2025.

Demographic groups bore the brunt of the downturn. Workers aged 15 to 24 lost 47,000 jobs, reversing some gains from late 2025 that had helped reduce elevated youth unemployment. Men aged 25 to 54 also experienced significant declines. Losses occurred across both goods-producing and services sectors. Wholesale and retail trade led the reductions with 18,000 jobs cut, followed by 14,000 in other services, which encompasses personal care, repair and maintenance. In goods industries, construction and manufacturing saw decreases, though...