Economics

Canada Jobless Rate Hits Record Low, Stoking Rate-Hike Odds

  • Economy adds 73,000 jobs; unemployment rate falls to 5.3%
  • Bank of Canada expected to ‘act forcefully’ at next decision

A paving crew works on a road in Victoria, British Columbia.

Photographer: James MacDonald/Bloomberg
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

Canada’s unemployment rate fell to the lowest level since at least the mid-1970s, as the labor market posted another strong monthly employment gain.

The economy added 72,500 jobsBloomberg Terminal in March, following a blockbuster gain of 337,000 in February, Statistics Canada reported Friday in Ottawa. The jobless rate fell to 5.3%, the lowest in monthly records dating back to 1976, down from 5.5% in February.