Unemployment rate steady in Canada at 6.9%

Canada's unemployment rate held 6.9 percent for the third consecutive month in November, the government's data agency Statistics Canada said Friday. For the third consecutive month, employment increased, but not enough to pull the unemployment rate lower. In November 22,000 jobs were added to the economy, StatsCan said. On average, the Canadian economy has added 13,400 jobs per month, down sharply from 2012, when the monthly average was a gain of 25,400 jobs. In November, employment rose in Alberta, but fell in Newfoundland and Labrador. It held steady in the other provinces, the monthly report said. From a demographic perspective, employment rose for people over 25 years of age and fell among younger workers.