BCREA ECONOMICS NOW: Labour Force Survey - April 5, 2012
Labour Force Survey - April 5, 2012
Canadian employment increased by an incredible 82,000 jobs in March, making up for four consecutive months of flat payrolls. The blockbuster jobs gains in March pushed the national unemployment rate down 0.2 points to 7.2 per cent. Unfortunately, British Columbia did not share in the job gains, subtracting 1,700 jobs in March, including 8,900 full-time positions (while adding 7,200 part-time jobs). The BC unemployment rate bumped up to 7 per cent.
Following a year of weak employment growth in 2011, the BC economy has added jobs in just two of the past four months and payrolls have expanded by only 5,200 jobs through the first quarter of 2012. This weak employment growth will likely have a limiting effect on consumer spending in BC through the first half of the year and will continue to do so unless job gains start to pick up strength.
For more information, please contact:
Cameron Muir | Brendon Ogmundson |
Chief Economist | Economist |
Direct: 604.742.2780 | Direct: 604.742.2796 |
Mobile: 778.229.1884 | Mobile: 604.505.6793 |
Email: cmuir@bcrea.bc.ca | Email: bogmundson@bcrea.bc.ca |
BCREA represents 11 member real estate boards and their approximately 18,000 REALTORS® on all provincial issues, providing an extensive communications network, standard forms, economic research and analysis, government relations, applied practice courses and continuing professional education (cpe).
Real estate boards, real estate associations and REALTORS® may reprint this content, provided that credit is given to BCREA by including the following statement: “Copyright British Columbia Real Estate Association. Reprinted with permission.” BCREA makes no guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of this information.
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