Payroll employment in retail trade decreased by 4,600 (-0.2%) in August, bringing the overall decline from January to August to 24,200 (-1.2%), according to a recent Statistics Canada report.
“The decline over this period was driven by food and beverage retailers (-8,600; -1.6%) and general merchandise retailers (-7,200; -2.8%). On a year-over-year basis, payroll employment in retail trade was down 33,000 (-1.6%) in August 2025,” said the federal agency.
“Payroll employment also decreased in wholesale trade in August (-3,300; -0.4%), following little change in June and July. On a year-over-year basis, payroll employment in wholesale trade was down by 10,200 (-1.2%) in August, driven by declines in machinery, equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers (-3,500; -1.5%) and personal and household goods merchant wholesalers (-2,700; -2.6%).”
The number of employees receiving pay and benefits from their employer—measured as “payroll employment” in the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours—was little changed (+3,300; +0.0%) in August, following an increase of 25,600 (+0.1%) in July. On a year-over-year basis, payroll employment was up 31,500 (+0.2%) in August 2025, reported Statistics Canada.
“In August, payroll employment increases were recorded in public administration (+5,000; +0.4%), construction (+2,300; +0.2%), administrative and support, waste management and remediation services (+1,600; +0.2%), and management of companies and enterprises (+900; +0.7%). These gains were offset by declines in retail trade (-4,600; -0.2%), wholesale trade (-3,300; -0.4%), professional, scientific and technical services (-2,600; -0.2%), and other services (except public administration) (-1,500; -0.3%),” explained the federal agency.
Meanwhile, job vacancies in Canada edged down to 457,400 (-11,300; -2.4%) in August, the lowest number of vacancies since August 2017 (435,500). On a year-over-year basis, job vacancies were down 82,100 (-15.2%) in August 2025.
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