Canada’s economy added 108,000 jobs in October, about 10 times what was expected.
The gains were broad-based, with both goods-producing industries and the service sector adding jobs, according to data released by Statistics Canada on Friday. The manufacturing, construction, accommodation and food services industries led the way, while the number of people working in retail and wholesale trade and natural resources eased.
The hiring surge was more than enough to offset the jobs lost between May and September.
The private sector added jobs for the first time since March.
Wage gains picked up the pace, too, with the average hourly income hitting $31.94 during the month. That’s up by 5.6 per cent in the past year.
Two-thirds of people making $40 an hour reported getting a raise in the past year. That compares with about half of those making $20 or under.
But those pay raises still aren’t enough to offset inflation, and the result is that more and more households are having a hard time keeping their heads above water. More than a third of households reported “difficulty meeting financial needs” during the month.
Two years ago, only one in five said that.
