Manufacturing, wholesale and retail sectors post biggest losses in April 2025
On a sector-specific basis, the Canada job market’s largest employment losses in April came from the manufacturing sector, which lost 31,000 full-time jobs between March and April – a monthly decline of 1.6 per cent.
Statistics Canada noted this decline was the manufacturing sector’s most significant at the national level since November 2024, though in another silver lining its overall employment remains largely consistent on a year-over-year basis. The number of Canadians employed in manufacturing decreased by approximately 18,800 between April 2024 and April 2025, in a sector that employs more than 1.8 million.
The second-largest decline came from the wholesale and retail trade sector, which lost 27,000 positions between March and April (a 0.9 per cent monthly loss), following a similar decline of 28,500 between February and March. Overall the sector employs more than 2.9 million Canadians.
Other industries that reported significant job losses in April 2025, according to Statistics Canada, include:
Business, building and other support services: 14,500 jobs lost (2.1 per cent loss)
Accommodation and food services: 8,500 jobs lost (0.7 per cent loss)
Health care and social assistance: 7,800 jobs lost (statistically insignificant in a sector that employs nearly 2.9 million)
Natural resources: 7,500 jobs lost (2.3 per cent loss)
Construction: 1,800 jobs lost (0.1 per cent loss)
Meanwhile, employment rose by 37,000 in public administration (a 3 per cent monthly gain), which Statistics Canada noted was the first significant increase for the sector since July 2024, mainly in temporary work, and coincided with the federal election.
Employment also increased by 23,700 between March and April in positions that Statistics Canada groups under finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (a 1.6 per cent monthly gain). The agency noted that this continues an upward trend for the sector, which has gained 67,000 employees between October 2024 and April 2025.
Other industries that posted gains last month included:
Information, culture and recreation: 12,600 jobs added (1.5 per cent gain)
Transportation and warehousing: 8,200 jobs added (0.8 per cent gain)
Professional, scientific and technical services: 6,200 jobs added (0.3 per cent gain)
Educational services: 5,400 jobs added (0.3 per cent gain)
Services other than professional, scientific and technical; business, building and other support; educational; accommodation and food; and public administration (all mentioned above): 4,900 jobs added (0.6 per cent gain)
Utilities: 3,900 jobs added (2.5 per cent gain)
Agriculture: 2,900 jobs added (1.2 per cent gain)