(OTTAWA) The Canadian economy added 35,000 jobs last month and Statistics Canada reports that the unemployment rate has remained at 5% in the country. The federal agency adds that the unemployment rate was 4.2% in Quebec in March and that employment there remained stable.

Employment was little changed in Canada in February after rising strongly, by 69,000 in December and 150,000 in January. As for the unemployment rate, it rose just above the record low of 4.9% recorded in June and July.

The number of employed Canadians increased in transportation and warehousing, business, building and other support services, and finance, insurance, real estate and rental services and leasing. On the other hand, employment fell in construction and in natural resources, in particular.

In the Maritimes, the unemployment rate remained stable in Nova Scotia, at 5.7% last month, the same as in February. The rate fell in the other provinces: from 6.3% to 5.8% in New Brunswick and from 7.3% to 6.6% in Prince Edward Island.

Statistics Canada adds that compared to a year earlier, the average hourly wage rose 5.3% in Canada last month to reach $33.12. Wage growth was similar to the 5.4% growth seen in February.