Canada lost 84,000 jobs in February 2026, pushing the national unemployment rate to 6.7%, up from 6.5% in January, according to Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey released Friday. The numbers were far worse than expected — economists had predicted a gain of 10,000 jobs — with over 100,000 full-time positions lost and private sector employment falling by 73,000. Youth unemployment also remains a serious concern, sitting at 12.8% in January, nearly double the national average, as young Canadians continue to struggle finding work.
