Payroll employment in retail trade increased by 5,600 (+0.3%) in May. The largest contributors to the increase were building material and supplies dealers (+2,500; +1.9%), health and personal care retailers (+2,500; +1.1%) and clothing and clothing accessories retailers (+2,000; +1.2%). These gains were partially offset by a decline of 1,800 (-1.8%) in department stores, reported Statistics Canada on Thursday.
“Prior to the increase in May, payroll employment in the retail trade sector had recorded a cumulative decline of 16,700 (-0.8%) from January to April. The decline over this period was attributable to grocery and convenience retailers (-6,000; -1.4%), building material and supplies dealers (-3,500; -2.6%) and warehouse clubs, supercentres and other general merchandise retailers (-3,000; -1.8%),” it said.
Statistics Canada said the number of employees in Canada receiving pay and benefits from their employer—measured as “payroll employment” in the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours—increased by 15,300 (+0.1%) in May, after edging up 14,600 (+0.1%) in April. On a year-over-year basis, payroll employment was up 43,300 (+0.2%) in May.
“Monthly increases in payroll employment in May were recorded in health care and social assistance (+6,200; +0.3%), retail trade (+5,600; +0.3%) and construction (+1,200; +0.1%). These gains were partially offset by declines in manufacturing (-6,400; -0.4%), administrative and support, waste management and remediation services (-3,500; -0.4%) and wholesale trade (-2,900; -0.3%). The remaining 14 sectors were little changed,” explained the federal agency.
“Meanwhile, job vacancies in Canada fell by 20,400 (-4.1%) in May to 478,200, extending the decline recorded in April (-17,400; -3.4%). This was the lowest level of job vacancies recorded since October 2017 (459,800). On a year-over-year basis, job vacancies were down by 89,700 (-15.8%) in May 2025.”
Year over year, job vacancies were down in 12 sectors in May. The largest declines were recorded in health care and social assistance (-27,200; -21.4%), accommodation and food services (-10,300; -16.3%) and retail trade (-9,300; -16.7%), said the report.
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