Canada employment up in December

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OTTAWA, Jan. 4 (UPI) -- Employment rose in Canada by 40,000 positions in December, the fourth increase in five months, Statistics Canada said.

In 12 months, employment rose 1.8 percent, or 312,000, all in full-time positions, Statistics Canada said. The total number of hours worked increased 1.6 percent.

Employment increased in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island in December, while declining in Nova Scotia.

In a year-over-year comparison, employment gains among private sector employees totaled 242,000, an increase of 2.2 percent, while public sector employment rose 92,000, a 2.6 percent jump and the number of self-employed showed little change.

Among industries, employment rose in transportation, warehousing and construction, and dipped in professional, scientific and technical services; natural resources and public administration.