Employment rose by 104,000 (+0.5%) in December, and the unemployment rate declined 0.1 percentage points to 5.0%, just above the record low of 4.9% reached in June and July.
Employment growth was led by an increase among youth aged 15 to 24, which recouped cumulative losses observed for this group from July to September. The number of employees increased in the private sector, while it held steady in the public sector. There were broad-based employment gains across several industries, including construction, as well as transportation and warehousing.

"The Ridge Meadows Chamber is impressed by the significant jump in job growth, not only did we see a rise in individuals who are ages 55 and older but also in youth and women. We are very happy with the private sector numbers and extremely pleased to see unemployment rates decrease. This survey is important for our business communities, not only can we see how different industries are trending we also get a grasp on the labour market in our country. This survey shows that private sector businesses, big and small, power our economy" says Ridge Meadows Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Kristi Maier. 

Read the full report from Statistics Canada