The unemployment rate declined by 0.2 percentage points to 5.8%.

In the 12 months to July, employment grew by 246,000 (+1.3%). These gains were largely the result of growth in full-time work (+211,000 or +1.4%). Over this period, the total number of hours worked rose by 1.3%.

Ontario, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador recorded employment increases in July. At the same time, the number of workers declined in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, while it was little changed in the other provinces.

Employment rose in a number of services-producing industries: educational services; health care and social assistance; information, culture and recreation; and the "other services" industry. In contrast, employment fell in most goods-producing industries, specifically manufacturing, construction and natural resources.

The employment increase was driven by public sector employees, while there was little change in the number of private sector employees and the self-employed.