Canada's jobless rate holds at 7.3 percent

Canada's unemployment rate remained at 7.3 percent in August, Statistics Canada reported Friday from Ottawa. There was an increase of 34,000 jobs in August, particularly in part-time work, the agency said, but that didn't affect the overall unemployment rate because of other factors such as people leaving the labor pool. "On a year-over-year basis, employment increased by 1 percent, or 177,000, with most of the gains occurring in the spring of this year," StatsCan said. "Virtually all of the increase in the 12-month period was in full-time work." On a monthly basis, employment rose among people 55 and over and fell in the 15-to-24 age group, the report said. "Employment rose in Quebec, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, while it declined in Ontario and Prince Edward Island," the report said. "There was little change in the other provinces."