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Canada posts blockbuster job gain in March, but new lockdowns set to weigh
Canada added far more jobs than expected in March, bringing employment to within 1.5% of pre-pandemic levels, official statistics showed on Friday, though economists warned fresh lockdowns imposed this month would undo some gains. Statistics Canada said the country added 303,100 jobs in March, triple analyst expectations of 100,000, as a number of industries continued to recover from December and January shutdowns. The unemployment rate fell to 7.5%, beating an expected 8.0% and reaching its lowest level since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada added 175,400 new full-time positions in March and 127,800 part-time. ... (full story)