Canada: Employment Unexpectedly Falls.

Employment in Canada fell by 83,900 or 0.4% in February 2026, following a 25,000 decrease in January and sharply missing forecasts for a 10,000 increase. The latest figure also marked the sharpest decline since January 2022, with losses concentrated in full-time positions, down 0.6% or 108,400, while part-time employment was little changed, up 24,500 after a drop in January. By sector, employment declined in wholesale and retail trade (-17,900; -0.6%), other services (-13,900, -1.8%), information, culture, and recreation (-12,000, -1.4%), and construction (-11,800; -0.7%). Offsetting gains were seen in transportation and warehousing (+10,300; 0.9%) and public administration (+8,100; 0.7%). Regionally, employment fell sharply in Quebec (-57,000; -1.2%), followed by Saskatchewan (-5,500; -0.9%) and Manitoba (-4,000; -0.5%), while it increased by 2,100 (+0.8%) in Newfoundland and Labrador.