Job growth in October was flat as an increase in full-time work was mostly cancelled out by losses in part-time employment, Statistics Canada said Friday.

Canada’s unemployment rate edged up 0.1 percentage points to 6.2%, driven up by an increase in the number of people looking for work.

The Oct. 14 federal election spurred strong employment growth in public administration in October. Roughly 40,000 jobs were added in the sector, with the additions spread across the country.

However, employment declined by about 27,000 jobs in the accommodation and food services sectors. The decline was mostly in food services and drinking places, with the bulk of the losses occurring in Ontario and Quebec.

There was little change for all other industries, Statistics Canada said.

Employment increased by 15,000 in Alberta, which continued to have the lowest jobless rate in the country, at 3.7%. There was little employment change in the other provinces.

South of the border, employment in the United States fell by a worse-than-expected 240,000 jobs in October as companies slashed their payrolls amid an economic downturn.

The plunge in payrolls sent the unemployment rate up to 6.5%, from 6.1 per cent in September. The jobless rate has not been that high since March 1994.

Economists had forecast October job cuts totalling 200,000.

The U.S. Labour Department also issued a sharp revision to September’s jobs numbers. The government said 284,000 jobs were lost in the month, much worse than the initial estimate of 159,000.

From August through October, U.S. employers cut more than 650,000 jobs.

IE