Canada’s employers added jobs for a fourth consecutive month in June, led by education and health care, and the country’s unemployment rate unexpectedly fell while wages for permanent workers rose at the fastest pace since August 2009. Employment rose by 7,300 in June, Statistics Canada said today from Ottawa, and the jobless rate fell to 7.2 percent from 7.3 percent in May. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg predicted the unemployment rate would remain unchanged and employment would rise 5,000. The data add to evidence the world’s 10th largest economy picked up momentum in the second quarter, following a slowdown that began at the end of last year. Canada’s economy expanded at an annualized pace of 1.9 percent over the past two quarters, after averaging growth of 3 percent growth since the country emerged from its recession in 2009. The country has added 155,500 jobs since February. Investors have been paring bets Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney will lower interest rates as concerns over Europe’s debt crisis ease. Swaps trading suggest investors are pricing in a 23 percent chance that Carney will lower borrowing costs by at least 25 basis points this year, down from 76 percent odds on June 1. Government-related employers led gains for a second month. Education added 19,300 workers in June, while health care jobs were up 19,900. Public sector employment has increased 45,800 over the past two months following a 38,900 gain in June. Private employers cut 26,000 jobs last month for a two-month loss of 48,500. Factories Decline Full-time jobs increased by 29,300 in June, Statistics Canada said. Part-time employment fell by 22,000 positions. Goods-producing industries fired 21,200 workers during the month, with manufacturing recording its first decline since November 2011. Manufacturing has generated about half the country’s job gains since February. Construction, natural resources and agriculture also posted declines in June. Total payroll employment rose by 12,800 positions in June while self-employment fell by 5,500, Statistics Canada said. Average hourly wages of permanent employees rose 3.3 percent in June from a year earlier, faster than May’s 2.9 percent pace and the highest in almost three years. To contact the reporter on this story: Theophilos Argitis in Ottawa at targitis@bloomberg.net. To contact the editors responsible for this story: David Scanlan at dscanlan@bloomberg.net; Christopher Wellisz at cwellisz@bloomberg.net

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