After three months of little change, employment declined by 31,000 (-0.2%) in July. The unemployment rate increased 0.1 percentage point to 6.9%.

Full-time employment fell by 71,000 from June to July, while part-time work was up by 40,000.

Compared with 12 months earlier, total employment increased by 71,000 or 0.4%, with all of the growth in part-time work. Over the same period, the total number of hours worked rose by 0.4%.

In July, employment decreased among youths aged 15 to 24, while it was little changed for the other demographic groups.

Employment declined in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, and increased in British Columbia and New Brunswick.

Fewer people were employed in public administration in July, while employment in health care and social assistance increased.

The number of public sector employees fell in July, and there was little change in the number of private sector employees and self-employed workers.