Canada’s labour market capped the year with some "good news," adding 91,000 jobs in December, shattering economist expectations, though there are still calls for further interest rate cuts amid the threat of U.S. tariffs.
Statistics Canada’s labour force survey on Friday said the unemployment rate dipped 0.1 percentage points to 6.7 per cent, also beating expectations.
"Even though today’s data overall was much better than expected, we still have an unemployment rate of 6.7 per cent. That’s one per cent higher than we started 2024 at, and that increased slack within the economy is clearly leading into some disinflationary pressures," said CIBC senior economist Andrew Grantham.
"I think the best news is that the employment-to-population ratio has gone up, even if we don’t believe that employment growth was as strong as the headline suggests."
The report said the country’s employment rate rose for the first time since January of 2023, though it contextualized it against slowing population growth.
Grantham is maintaining his call for a quarter-point cut when the Bank of Canada issues its next policy decision on Jan. 29.
Analysts had projected the job growth to be between 10,000 to 25,000 new jobs in December.
The education, transportation and finance sectors saw the largest gains in employment in December, while the public sector added 40,000 jobs.
Full-time employment rose by 56,000.
While private sector employment was little changed in December — up 27,000 jobs — self-employment rose for the first time since February, up by 24,000.
Still, while private and public sector jobs have bounced back and grown since the pandemic, self-employment continues to lag. While self-employment rose by 64,000 jobs in 2024, it’s still down about 100,000 jobs since February 2020.
The report also highlighted decelerating wage growth, with average hourly wages rising 3.8 per cent year-over-year in December — the slowest growth since May 2022. November’s growth was 4.1 per cent, and 4.9 per cent in October.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 10, 2025.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
Former prime minister Jean Chretien says U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is likely to walk back his threat of punishing tariffs and the resulting trade war with Canada, because the Americans are too reliant on a number of Canadian exports, namely in the energy sector.
A Canadian teen is reaching audiences around the world with powerful social media videos showing life without hands and feet – the price she paid after developing sepsis.
A trillion dollars worth of Canadian goods and services are exported out of the country annually with a third of it going to the United States. One economist says if Trump imposes a 25 per cent tariff on those goods, it will be detrimental to the Canadian economy.
The so-called 'sandwich generation' finds itself in a unique and challenging position as its members balance providing financial support for both aging parents and children, all while managing their own financial goals.
Justin Trudeau says U.S. president-elect Donald Trump kicked the tires on the potential annexation of Canada during their recent meeting in Florida, but the topic was quickly dropped when the prime minister countered with a request for two states.
An investigation is underway by Elk Valley RCMP after a man died Wednesday after falling into a sink hole at Fernie Alpine Resort.
Two Alberta men have been sentenced for their roles in the illegal Coutts border blockade in 2022.
While longtime cabinet ministers Dominic LeBlanc and Melanie Joly have officially announced they have no plans to run for the Liberal leadership, several well-known faces are organizing behind the scenes to launch bids of their own.
Daybreak on HMCS Ottawa began with a call over the marine radio from a Chinese warship. The call is coming from a Chinese Frigate known as the Yuncheng, the warship has been shadowing HMCS Ottawa through the South China Sea for two days and counting.
Two Alberta men have been sentenced for their roles in the illegal Coutts border blockade in 2022.
An investigation is underway by Elk Valley RCMP after a man died Wednesday after falling into a sink hole at Fernie Alpine Resort.
A British Columbia RCMP officer has been suspended with pay as he faces criminal charges of sexual assault and uttering threats.
A Saskatchewan business owner lost her Los Angeles home as wildfires ravage parts of the city.
A Nova Scotia man is mourning the death of his donkey following New Year's Day fireworks.
Doug Ford addressed his decision to block international students from attending Ontario medical schools while celebrating the expansion of a Cambridge, Ont. hospital.
Flames were already attacking the campus of Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center when the cantor, Ruth Berman Harris, and three companions rushed in to rescue its sacred Torah scrolls.
The extent of the damage from wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area is horrific however it's tallied: Neighbourhoods have been erased, landmarks destroyed and lives lost.
U.S. President Joe Biden will deliver a farewell address to the nation Wednesday from the Oval Office, five days before president-elect Donald Trump is sworn in.
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is preparing more than 100 executive orders starting Day One of the new White House, in what amounts to a shock-and-awe campaign on border security, deportations and a rush of other policy priorities.
Rudy Giuliani was found in contempt of court Friday for the second time in a week, as a federal judge warned him he could be sent to jail if he doesn't stop spreading lies about two former Georgia election workers who won a US$148-million defamation judgement against him.
Socialite Paris Hilton shared a video showing her ravaged house, destroyed by the L.A. wildfires., 'I’m standing here in what used to be our home, and the heartbreak is truly indescribable,' Hilton wrote on Instagram.
Former prime minister Jean Chretien says U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is likely to walk back his threat of punishing tariffs and the resulting trade war with Canada, because the Americans are too reliant on a number of Canadian exports, namely in the energy sector.
While longtime cabinet ministers Dominic LeBlanc and Melanie Joly have officially announced they have no plans to run for the Liberal leadership, several well-known faces are organizing behind the scenes to launch bids of their own.
Justin Trudeau says U.S. president-elect Donald Trump kicked the tires on the potential annexation of Canada during their recent meeting in Florida, but the topic was quickly dropped when the prime minister countered with a request for two states.
A Canadian teen is reaching audiences around the world with powerful social media videos showing life without hands and feet – the price she paid after developing sepsis.
The number of gastroenteritis cases at the University of Guelph has risen to 190.
Provincial and territorial health plans will cover primary care provided by nurse practitioners, pharmacists and midwives starting next year, federal health minister Mark Holland announced on Friday.
On Friday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on TikTok’s legal challenge to the law, which the company claims violates its First Amendment rights and those of its 170 million American users
A Manitoba researcher was part of a historic research team that uncovered the oldest ice core ever retrieved.
School boards across Canada are grappling with the fallout from a significant cyberattack on PowerSchool, a widely used administration software platform.
Mel Gibson's home in Malibu was destroyed by the Los Angeles wildfires while he was away recording a podcast with Joe Rogan in Austin, Texas, Gibson has revealed.
Smooth like butter, like a superstar about to hit the road. BTS member J-Hope will embark on his first solo tour next month.
Megan Thee Stallion has been granted a restraining order from imprisoned rapper Tory Lanez until early 2030.
The so-called 'sandwich generation' finds itself in a unique and challenging position as its members balance providing financial support for both aging parents and children, all while managing their own financial goals.
A trillion dollars worth of Canadian goods and services are exported out of the country annually with a third of it going to the United States. One economist says if Trump imposes a 25 per cent tariff on those goods, it will be detrimental to the Canadian economy.
The Federal Court of Appeal has dismissed Rebel News Network's latest bid to quash $3,000 in fines levied against the right-wing media outlet by the commissioner of elections.
Jean-Philippe Marineau and Patrice Beauparlant, lifelong friends who grew up in Hearst, Ont., are training for a 450-km trek from Fort Albany to Hearst, Ont.
A lucky lottery ticket will end up benefitting an Ontario centre that supports kids with disabilities and their families.
A Winnipeg sculptor’s latest creation could also double as a house guard.
The players and coaches tasked with separating football from real life are finding it difficult, but they are determined to meet the challenges on all fronts when they “host” the Minnesota Vikings at the Cardinals' State Farm Stadium on Monday night.
Canada Soccer has settled on former San Diego Wave coach Casey Stoney as the new coach of its women's team, according to multiple reports.
The Los Angeles Kings were thinking about friends and family in wildfire-ravaged California as they embarked on an eight-day road trip that kicked off Friday in Winnipeg.
Automakers pulled out all the stops to showcase their latest advances for in-vehicle experiences at CES, the Consumer Technology Association’s annual trade show of all things tech, in Las Vegas this week.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Tuesday it has opened a probe into 2.6 million Tesla vehicles in the United States over reports of crashes involving a feature that allows users to move their cars remotely.
Waterloo Regional Police Services helped recover 20 stolen vehicles in Hamilton, Ont.
A Winnipeg sculptor’s latest creation could also double as a house guard.
A Manitoba researcher was part of a historic research team that uncovered the oldest ice core ever retrieved.
Hayley and Bill Atkinson’s love story begins that night he abruptly left in the middle of playing a card game with friends, and didn’t return for a long time.
Though it has been nearly five decades since Elvis' death, his music and influence continue to inspire fans around the world, including tribute artist Thane Dunn of Moncton, N.B.
A single lot in Delta, B.C., that used to be home to a single rancher built in the 80s is the site of four separate homes, housing four generations of the same family.
The removal of a beaver dam in a rural Manitoba community is having some unintended consequences, sending a small flood downstream, catching residents off-guard.
For 15 years, those who volunteer for the Greater Moncton chapter of Project Linus have been making blankets for children who need comfort at challenging time in their lives.
A captivating canine is being hailed as a hero after one of his owners took a terrifying fall.
Rose Worona and Anne Skwarchuk were born in 1935 on a farm near Hafford. Now, they’re celebrating their 90th birthday together.
From hockey tickets to VIP seats for the Celebration of Light, Vancouver’s mayor and council were gifted tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of freebies in 2024.
The marquee at The Penthouse strip club in downtown Vancouver is known for its edgy comments on politics and pop culture.
British Columbia is preparing to deploy B.C. wildfire crews to southern California.
When Environment Canada Senior Climatologist David Phillips retired this past September, he wasn’t quite ready to call it a career.
Toronto will get a blast of winter weather to start off the weekend, with the possibility of up to 10 centimetres of snow by Saturday morning.
A man in his 70s has died after falling through the ice in Lake Ontario by the Toronto Islands, police say.
As U.S. president-elect Donald Trump threatens to annex Canada, some residents in Montana are sharing their thoughts on the idea of Canada becoming the “51st state.”
An investigation is underway by Elk Valley RCMP after a man died Wednesday after falling into a sink hole at Fernie Alpine Resort.
Two Alberta men have been sentenced for their roles in the illegal Coutts border blockade in 2022.
A 58-year-old man was found dead Friday night in an area close to the Stonebridge Golf Course.
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) is looking at consolidating elementary school programs into two – Enhanced English and French Immersion – and will phase out some special education programs as part changes to its programs.
OC Transpo says an individual on the O-Train Line 1 tracks near Bayview Station caused delays for passengers Friday afternoon.
Montrealers, accustomed to ice storms, snow and cold, found themselves in Los Angeles this week as major wildfires raged throughout the region.
Montreal police (SPVM) confirmed that a 15-year-old was injured during an armed assault in Montreal North on Friday night.
Quebec said Friday it will send two more firefighting aircraft to California, a day after one of the province's water bombers collided with a drone while battling the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area.
Alberta's Opposition NDP is calling on the provincial government to act as thousands of school support workers prepare to walk off the job in Edmonton and some nearby communities.
Kellen Lee Carr-Mandrusiak was charged with second-degree murder in the death of 30-year-old Brandon Lee Cardinal on Sept. 14.
Massage therapy associations in Alberta are working with the province to try and get the profession regulated.
The daughter of a Nova Scotia woman killed by her husband is calling for greater public discussion about domestic violence, saying she learned too late about the warning signs in her mother's relationship.
One man is dead and another is seriously injured after a vehicle struck a power pole in Moncton, N.B., Friday morning.
The Halifax Regional Police says it recovered a heat pump, bikes, and 300 boxes and bags as part of a “retail theft blitz” last month.
Manitoba’s Crown attorneys are sounding the alarm over rising crime, caseloads and vacancies which they say are putting the public at risk.
Winnipeg police are concerned for the well-being of a missing senior.
The Los Angeles Kings were thinking about friends and family in wildfire-ravaged California as they embarked on an eight-day road trip that kicked off Friday in Winnipeg.
A snowfall warning is in effect for parts of southwest Saskatchewan on Friday, with potential for some areas to reach up to 50 centimetres over the weekend.
While headed in opposite directions as franchises, it was a busy trade season for Saskatchewan’s Western Hockey League (WHL) clubs.
A Saskatchewan business owner lost her Los Angeles home as wildfires ravage parts of the city.
New fraud charges have been laid against a former restaurant and business owner in Stratford.
The number of gastroenteritis cases at the University of Guelph has risen to 190.
A lucky lottery ticket will end up benefitting an Ontario centre that supports kids with disabilities and their families.
Saskatchewan Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill has signed a deal with the federal government to expand access to medication for people with rare diseases.
A recent cybersecurity incident targeting PowerSchool, a student information software provider, has compromised data from Prairie Spirit School Division.
A prestigious high school basketball tournament is underway at the Bedford Road Collegiate in Saskatoon.
Jean-Philippe Marineau and Patrice Beauparlant, lifelong friends who grew up in Hearst, Ont., are training for a 450-km trek from Fort Albany to Hearst, Ont.
While longtime cabinet ministers Dominic LeBlanc and Melanie Joly have officially announced they have no plans to run for the Liberal leadership, several well-known faces are organizing behind the scenes to launch bids of their own.
A man and a woman from Blind River have been charged with first-degree murder and a third person has been charged with accessory to murder after the fact.
Fed up with garbage being dumped along roadways and in vacant lots, one south London resident is fighting back with his cell phone.
It’s been one year since London launched its green bin program alongside bi-weekly garbage collection.
Four puppies abandoned in the freezing cold on the side of a Middlesex County road are headed to a rescue agency this weekend.
Ontario Provincial Police have added a number of charges to a young man who threatened Collingwood school in 2024.
A fisherman had a close call on Lake Simcoe after becoming stranded on an ice flow off the 30th Sideroad in Innisfil Friday.
Bracebridge's historical Silver Bridge will be closed for the foreseeable future.
In case you missed it, CTV News Windsor has compiled all of the top local stories from this week into one video.
The City of Windsor's recent purchase of a west-end school was driven by the need for more housing and the desire to prevent another vacant space from becoming a crime hotspot, according to one councillor.
A Windsor resident who created a petition in an effort to save the tunnel bus from being eliminated is gathering support on both sides of the Windsor/Detroit border.
The picturesque city that is B.C.'s capital has an unseen sinister side that many people are not even aware of.
A British Columbia RCMP officer has been suspended with pay as he faces criminal charges of sexual assault and uttering threats.
If you have extra cash lying around, what should you buy? For anyone analyzing their budget for the new year, researchers have a framework that might help get the most satisfaction out of spending.
Firefighters knocked down a blaze on the third floor of a low-rise apartment building near downtown Kelowna Monday afternoon.
Search and rescue volunteers in B.C.’s Okanagan successfully reunited two skiers with their family Friday evening.
Police in Kelowna say an international investigation has led to child pornography charges against a 46-year-old man.
As U.S. president-elect Donald Trump threatens to annex Canada, some residents in Montana are sharing their thoughts on the idea of Canada becoming the “51st state.”
An investigation is underway by Elk Valley RCMP after a man died Wednesday after falling into a sink hole at Fernie Alpine Resort.
Two Alberta men have been sentenced for their roles in the illegal Coutts border blockade in 2022.
Dorothy Whitefish of Fort Frances, Ont., won the $250,000 top prize with Instant Bingo Multiplier, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. said Friday.
Two people have been charged with drug trafficking after police in Sault Ste. Marie noticed a vehicle with heavily tinted windows.
An outbreak has been declared in a medical unit at the Sault Area Hospital due to a superbug.
Police in eastern Newfoundland say that for the second time in less than a month thieves have used heavy equipment to smash into a bank and steal an ATM.
Liberal MP Yvonne Jones speaks to reporters before a meeting of the Liberal women's caucus, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024. Jones announced this morning that she will not be running in the next federal election for her seat in Labrador. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
A draft energy deal with Quebec heralded as a game-changer for indebted Newfoundland and Labrador is heading for a vote Thursday night at the legislature in St. John's, N.L.
© 2024 
All rights reserved. Use of this Website assumes acceptance of Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy