Canada picks up 61,000 jobs in September

The Canadian economy grew by 61,000 jobs in September, all in full-time employment, Statistics Canada reported Friday. The growth helped lower Canada's unemployment rate to 7.1 percent, the lowest since December 2008, CBC News reported. Economists said they had expected the September report to reflect 15,000 additional jobs and the jobless rate to remain steady at 7.3 percent. Part-time employment slipped by 2,900. Many of the new jobs came from public sector job growth, while the private sector lost nearly 15,000 positions, CBC News reported. Self-employment rose by 38,900. "Many self-employed jobs are vital contributions to a small-business based economy," Scotiabank economist Derek Holt told CBC News, "but the volatility in this component and its tendency to report a pickup in self-reporting during soft spots in the economy make us doubtful that such a heavy role in lifting the headline is with substance." Statistics Canada said job gains were notable in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island provinces. Despite the job growth, the number of hours worked fell by 0.3 percent, Statistics Canada said.