Statistics Canada set to release jobs data for May this morning

A Statistics Canada sign is pictured in Ottawa on Wednesday, July 3, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada is expected to release its labour market report for the month of May this morning.

The consensus among economists polled by Reuters shows they’re anticipating employers added 10,000 positions last month, after a loss of nearly 18,000 jobs in April.

They also expect the unemployment rate will remain unchanged at 6.9 per cent.

Economists have said the first few months of the year so far were challenging for employers, who are grappling with the conflict in the Middle East that has hiked prices of everyday goods and ongoing uncertainty with U.S. trade as the review of the North American free-trade agreement nears in July.

This jobs report marks the last major economic data release before the Bank of Canada’s interest rate decision on Wednesday.

The central bank is widely expected to hold its policy rate steady at 2.25 per cent.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2026.