Canada jobless rate flat in May at 6.8%

Canada's unemployment rate remained flat at 6.8 percent in May as a gain of 59,000 new jobs was offset by a jump in job seekers, the government statistics agency said Friday.

The economic indicator, which has remained unchanged for four consecutive months, is in line with what analysts were expecting.

However, the number of jobs created was nearly sixfold higher.

According to Statistics Canada, most of the new jobs went to men.

Employment increased in Ontario, British Columbia and Nova Scotia provinces, while it declined in Newfoundland, Manitoba and New Brunswick, the agency said.

The number of private sector employees increased by 57,000 in May, while there was little change in self-employment.

At the same time, public sector employment edged down.

Manufacturing employment increased for a second month in a row.

New jobs were created in business, building and other support services, health care and social assistance, retail and wholesale trade, as well as finance, insurance, real estate and leasing.

Public administration employment, meanwhile, continued on a downward trend. The number of agriculture jobs also decreased in the month.