(Adds details from report)
OTTAWA, April 8 (Reuters) - Canada added far more jobs than
expected last month, lifted by accelerated hiring in the service
sector and bringing the unemployment rate down from a three-year
high, data from Statistics Canada showed on Friday.
The economy created 40,600 jobs in March, far surpassing
economists' expectations for 10,000, and driven by a 35,300
increase in full-time jobs. The unemployment rate declined to
7.1 percent, its lowest level since December.
It was the service sector that contributed the most to the
labor market's improvement, led by a 24,900 increase in jobs in
healthcare and social assistance. Economists had expected to see
a rebound in the sector in March after an outsized decline the
previous month.
But there were gains in other service industries as well,
including accommodation and food, and professional services. The
goods producing part of the economy fared poorly, however, with
a 31,800 drop in manufacturing jobs and a loss of 5,500
construction positions.
It was the last piece of economic news ahead of next week's
interest rate decision from the Bank of Canada, which is
expected to keep rates at 0.5 percent.
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Graphic - Canada jobs, unemployment http://link.reuters.com/fax39t
Graphic - Full-time vs. part-time http://link.reuters.com/pev29v
Graphic - Temporary vs. permanent http://link.reuters.com/xuf98v
Graphic - Canada economic dashboard http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/15/sc-canada/index.html
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