While several provinces briefly relaxed their health measures in March, on the eve of the third wave of the epidemic, employment saw their biggest monthly increase since September 2020 in the country.
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According to Statistics Canada, which released data from the Survey of Employment, Salaries and Hours (SEPH) on Thursday, the number of salaried employees grew by 245,800, or + 1.5%, last March.
The Labor Force Survey (LFS) shows an increase of 303,000, or + 1.6%, in the number of people employed in March, mainly thanks to the services sector.
To show the extent of the shock the economy suffered during the first wave, the federal agency puts in perspective that in March 2020, the nation’s paid jobs suffered a drop of 897,900, or -5.3%.
Last March, the provinces recorded an even bigger increase in hiring, SEPH indicated. This is the case in Ontario (+1,600; + 1.8%), Quebec (+59900; + 1.7%) and Alberta (+33700; + 1.8%). In contrast, employment in Newfoundland and Labrador decreased (-1200; -0.6%).
“In Quebec, measures affecting restaurants and entertainment and entertainment establishments in certain regions were eased at the end of February and early March, while the most severe restrictions remained in effect in Montreal and in the surrounding areas,” the statement said.
The national average weekly earnings were $ 1,125 in March, down 0.8% from February, “following the increase in employment in March which was mainly attributable to salaried employees. Hourly, the latter was, for the most part, weak. Paid, “one of them explained.
Average weekly earnings were up 7.6% in March compared to February 2020, before COVID-19 spread across the country.
In Quebec, average weekly earnings were $ 1,065.71 last March, up 7.0% in one year.
