The unemployment rate in Canada was 7.5 per cent at the end of the fourth quarter of 2011, up 0.4 percentage points compared to the third quarter of the year. This stands 1.1 per cent below the recent peak in the second quarter of 2009.

Total employment was up in the fourth quarter to a new record for Canada. The increase built on the gains in employment that have occurred since the end of 2009.

On a seasonally adjusted* basis, job gains totalled 9,000 positions in the fourth quarter. This was made up of an increase of 37,000 full-time jobs, which was offset by a loss of 28,000 part-time positions.

The majority of the gains occurred in Alberta and British Columbia, offsetting job losses in Ontario.

Fourth quarter job gains were seen in agriculture and natural resources as well as in professional and scientific services, education, healthcare, accommodation and food services, and public administration.

These gains more than offset job losses in utilities, construction and manufacturing, trade, transportation and warehousing services, the financial sector, business, and information and cultural services.

* Seasonal adjustment removes normal seasonal fluctuations.