The Canadian Press

Non-farm payroll employment increased by 22,000 in December, its fourth straight month of modest gains.

Statistics Canada says payroll employment remained down 380,000 from its October 2008 peak, despite the recent gains.

Job gains in December were widespread, with 61% of industries reporting gains, the highest share since October 2007.

There were only two sectors in which the majority of industries had job declines in December: transportation and warehousing, and public administration.

The construction sector has increased by 19,300 (2.4%) since August after shedding 61,000 jobs in the first 10 months of the economic downturn.

Other industries with ties to construction have either had modest job growth or smaller declines in recent months.

Those include building material and supplies dealers; household and institutional furniture and kitchen cabinet manufacturing; building material and supplies wholesaler-distributors; and architectural, engineering and related services.