Canada sheds 5,000 jobs, unemployment rises to 6.2 pct

OTTAWA : Canada's unemployment rate edged up to 6.2 percent in June as the slowing economy shed 5,000 jobs, Canadian statistics said on Friday.

The report marked the first time since December that overall employment declined in Canada.

Analysts had expected the jobless rate to hold steady in the month at 6.1 percent with 10,000 jobs added.

The report showed a loss of 39,200 full-time jobs offset in part by 34,200 new part-time positions.

The agency noted that the unemployment rate remains near the lowest in 30 years and that over the past 12 months, employment in has grown by 1.7 percent or 290,000.

Industries with declines in June included construction, business, building and other support services, health care and social assistance. Manufacturing employment was unchanged in June, but was down 33,000 from a year ago.