Canada's economy pumped out 54,900 new jobs in March with adult women capturing the lion's share of the growth, Statistics Canada said Thursday.
The employment figures continue an upward trend that started in September 2006.
They also cap the strongest first quarter since 2002 with an estimated 158,000 jobs created since January.
Despite job growth, more people entering the workforce in March kept unemployment rates unchanged -- at the 30-year low of 6.1 per cent.
The employment rate hit 63.5 per cent in March, marking the highest level in 31 years. For adult women, aged 25 year and older, their employment rate hit an all-time high of 59 per cent in March. That translated into more than 39,000 new jobs.
Over the past 12 months, employment growth for women has risen by 3.8 per cent, more than double that of adult men at 1.7 per cent.
Woman over 55 are also remaining active with 25.8 per cent participating in the workforce.
Higher wages
Canadians are earning more in the booming job market. Hourly wages jumped 2.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2007, compared to 2006. The increase is well ahead of the 1.6 per cent inflation rate.
The main contributor to the hike in wages is Alberta -- with a rise of 5.4 per cent from the same period in 2006.
Alberta's labour market waved in a 5.4 per cent wage increase during the first quarter of 2007. British Columbia's wage growth jumped 3.6 per cent.
The hikes were tempered by a 4.5 (Alberta) and 2.2 (B.C.) per cent rise in consumer prices.
Employment growth was most significant in the service sector with 66,000 new jobs in March.
Trade jobs saw numbers climb to 27,000, with about half the growth coming out of Alberta.
Accommodation and food services employment gained 15,000 jobs in March. Employment in the sector has risen by 8.8 per cent since last year.
Canada's labour force participation -- the proportion of adults with jobs or actively looking for employment -- jumped 0.6 per cent since last October to 67.7 per cent.
A quick look at March unemployment (previous month in brackets):
Unemployment rate: 6.1 per cent (6.1)
Number unemployed: 1,094,400 (1,084,000)
Number working:16,798,400 (16,743,500)
Youth (15-24 years) unemployment: 11.0 per cent (11.0)
Men (25 plus) unemployment: 5.3 per cent (5.3)
Women (25 plus) unemployment: 5.0 per cent (4.9)
Here's what happened provincially (previous month in brackets):
Newfoundland 14.3 (14.3)
Prince Edward Island 10.3 (10.1)
Nova Scotia 7.9 (7.4)
New Brunswick 7.4 (6.9)
Quebec 7.6 (7.8)
Ontario 6.5 (6.3)
Manitoba 4.3 (4.3)
Saskatchewan 3.8 (4.0)
Alberta 3.6 (3.5)
British Columbia 3.9 (4.0)
