Payroll employment in retail trade decreased by 8,100 (-0.4%) in June, following a growth of 1,000 (+0.1%) in May and a decline of 1,400 (-0.1%) in April. From January to June, payroll employment in this sector recorded a general downward trend, with an overall decline of 23,800 (-1.2%), according to a report released Thursday by Statistics Canada.
The main contributors to the downward trend from January to June were general merchandise retailers (-7,800; -3.0%), food and beverage retailers (-7,400; -1.4%) and building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers (-4,500; -3.1%), said the federal agency.
Year over year, payroll employment in retail trade was down 26,900 (-1.3%) in June, added Statistics Canada.
Overall, the number of employees receiving pay and benefits from their employer—measured as “payroll employment” in the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours—decreased by 32,900 (-0.2%) in June, following an increase of 18,500 (+0.1%) in May. On a year-over-year basis, payroll employment was up 41,000 (+0.2%) in June, explained Statistics Canada.
“In June, monthly payroll employment declines were recorded in 10 of the 20 sectors, including manufacturing (-8,400; -0.5%), retail trade (-8,100; -0.4%), construction (-5,200; -0.4%) and health care and social assistance (-3,700; -0.2%). These declines were partially offset by a gain in public administration (+3,800; +0.3%). The remaining nine sectors were little changed,” it said.
“Meanwhile, job vacancies in Canada edged up by 12,100 (+2.5%) to 492,000 in June, partially offsetting the cumulative decline recorded in May and April (-37,100; -7.2%). Year over year, job vacancies declined by 59,200 (-10.7%) in June.”
Year over year, job vacancies were down in 11 sectors in June. The largest declines were recorded in health care and social assistance (-22,400; -18.5%), transportation and warehousing (-8,000; -24.7%) and retail trade (-7,100; -13.5%). Finance and insurance (+3,800; +21.8%) was the only sector to record an increase, said the report.
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