Ontario, Quebec lead in job losses as unemployment rises to 9.4 per cent

The Canadian economy lost almost 213,000 jobs in January, wiping out the gains made in the fall according to Statistics Canada.

The unemployment rate rose 0.6 percentage points to 9.4 per cent, the highest rate since August.

The losses were almost entirely concentrated in Ontario and Quebec, and mostly in the retail sector as lockdowns and restrictions closed many businesses.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce says the report points to a need to find a new way to manage the pandemic.