Jobless rate rises to 8.1 per cent

Canada added more jobs as people head back to school, but more Canadians are looking for work.

A Statistics Canada report released today says that Canadian employers added 35,800 jobs in August, raising the number of jobs in the country almost level with pre-recession figures. However, because more people have entered the labour market, there was also an increase in the unemployment rate. Many of the jobs added are associated with seasonal work in the education sector. The report also said this summer was one of the worst on record for students, who worked an average of only 23.6 hours per week. The jobless rate among students aged 15 to 24 was 16.8 per cent, compared to 13.6 per cent in 2008.