Employment edged up by an estimated 27,000 in February after three months of little change, Statistics Canada said today. However, he unemployment rate held steady at 7.0% as more people were participating in the labour force last month.

It was the third month in a row that the jobless rate held steady.

The economy recorded job increases in a number of sectors including education, information, business and building.

There were 21,000 more people working in educational services last month, with the gains across several provinces but centred mainly in Ontario.

Employment rose by 15,000 in information, culture and recreation services, offsetting drops in January. The business, building and other support services sector created 13,000 jobs.

However, the manufacturing sector lost 28,000 jobs, bringing losses there to 43,000 during the last nine months.

As well, employment in accommodation and food services fell by 20,000 last month. StatsCan said the NHL labour dispute, which kept people out of pubs and taverns, may be partly to blame.