Canada's economy dropped 18,000 jobs in April as unemployment rose to 6-month high

Source: CBC

Business
Canada's economy dropped 18,000 jobs in April as unemployment rose to 6-month high

Loss follows addition of 14,000 jobs in March

Thomson Reuters · Posted: May 08, 2026 8:59 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

Canada's unemployment ‌rate rose to a six-month high of 6.9 per cent in April as the economy lost 18,000 jobs, Statistics Canada data showed on Friday, indicating a continued weakness in the labour market which has struggled in the ​face of U.S. tariffs and trade uncertainty.

While Canada has added 67,000 jobs since April 2025, since the start of this year it has lost a cumulative 112,000.

Last month's loss means Canada has lost jobs in three out of the four months so far this year, showing a rocky start for the labour market in 2026, according to CIBC economist Andrew Grantham.

The drop was concentrated in full-time jobs, which lost a net of ‌46,700 people, offset only by a gain of 29,000 jobs in the part-time sector.

Monthly change in jobs in Canada

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Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/canada-jobs-april-2026-9.7192292