Canadian employment rose by 88,000 in the second quarter but regional market conditions vary, BMO Economics said on Friday.
Ontario led job growth, after a "like-sized" decline in the first quarter. "Through the swings, employment is up a solid 0.8% from a year ago despite challenges in trade and real estate," wrote BMO economist Robert Kavcic in a note.
Alberta and British Columbia also posted strong job gains in Q2, with Alberta employment now up 3.0% annualized.
Quebec employment fell by 16,000 in Q2 and 0.9% from a year ago, with construction, manufacturing and some services seeing the biggest job declines this year, Kavcic said.