New Brunswick lost 1,800 jobs last month, while unemployment rate declined to 8%

New Brunswick lost 1,800 jobs in March, but saw its unemployment rate fall slightly as well, according to Statistics Canada's monthly labour force report.

The monthly report showed that 2,700 full-time jobs were lost and 900 part-time jobs were added.

The unemployment rate declined to eight per cent from 8.2 per cent, according to the agency.

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Statistics Canada said 2,900 people left the labour force in New Brunswick last month.

Meanwhile, the Canadian economy added 32,000 jobs in March, although the jobless rate remained steady at 5.8 per cent.

On Friday, Statistics Canada also reported the economy added more than 68,000 full-time jobs in March, and lost more than 35,000 part-time jobs.

Canada's economy has added 296,000 jobs over the past 12 months.

Now and then

In the Fredericton and Oromocto areas, the unemployment rate was 9.4 per cent, a substantial increase from 6.9 per cent this time last year.

In the Edmundston and Woodstock area, unemployment was at 8.5 per cent in March, a slight increase from 8.4 per cent this time last year.

The unemployment rate in Campbellton and Miramichi is still the highest in the province but declined to 14.4 per cent from 17.2 per cent this time last year.

In the Moncton and Richibucto area, the unemployment rate was 8.3 per cent in March, down from 9.8 per cent a year ago.

In the Saint John and St. Stephen area, the unemployment rate was the lowest in the province at 7.8 per cent, up from 7.1 per cent last March.