Canada payroll jobs fall 49,600 in August

Canadian payroll employment fell 49,600, or 0.3 percent, in August, Statistics Canada said, a second straight monthly decline led by a 22,300 drop in public administration as temporary census staffing unwound.

Why it matters: The headline fall overstates the weakening: Statistics Canada says the public administration drop largely reflects temporary 2026 Census staffing, and payroll employment was still up 0.3 percent from a year earlier, two days after the Bank of Canada raised its policy rate to 2.50 percent.

Data as of Statistics Canada Daily release of October 29, 2026 (Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours and Job Vacancy and Wage Survey, August 2026), read in full from the agency's own page in this run; every figure is Statistics Canada's own. Developing item.

Canadian payroll employment fell 49,600 in August, a 0.3 percent decline that followed a 15,700 fall in July, Statistics Canada said in its Daily release. Employment declined in 10 of 20 sectors, led by public administration, down 22,300 or 1.6 percent, where federal government employment fell 15,900 as the temporary staffing built up for the 2026 Census unwound; the agency said the June to August pattern in federal public administration largely reflects that census staffing. Accommodation and food services fell 6,800, information and cultural industries 5,000, construction 4,500 and retail trade 4,400.

On a year over year basis payroll employment was still up 57,200, or 0.3 percent. Average weekly earnings were $1,354.55 in August, up 3.7 percent from a year earlier, and job vacancies were little changed at 507,200 for an eighth straight month, with a vacancy rate of 2.8 percent, unchanged since December 2025.

Canada payroll jobs fall 49,600 in August

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