Employment in Canada rose by 75,100 in July 2026, far exceeding market expectations for a 15,000 increase and following a revised gain of 18,200 in June. The total number of people employed increased 0.4% month-over-month, led by a 57,900 rise in private-sector jobs after a 31,600 gain in June. In contrast, public-sector employment fell by 27,000, deepening June’s decline of 31,000.
By industry, employment grew in wholesale and retail trade; finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (+18,000); professional, scientific and technical services (+17,000); and construction (+16,000). Job losses were recorded in public administration (-15,000) and agriculture (-9,600).
Regionally, employment increased in Ontario for a third straight month (+52,000), with additional gains in British Columbia (+18,000), Manitoba (+5,900) and Nova Scotia (+4,600). The employment rate inched up 0.1 percentage point to 60.9%.
