Unemployment holds at 6.1% in N.B. in May, climbs to 5.2% nationally

New Brunswick's unemployment rate held steady at 6.1 per cent in May, while the national unemployment rate climbed to 5.2 per cent.

Statistics Canada says the provincial economy added 3,200 net full-time jobs, but this was offset by a net loss of 2,000 part time jobs and a net increase of 1,200 in the labour force.

The data agency says the largest job gains were seen in New Brunswick's construction sector, while the educational services and manufacturing sectors saw the largest job losses.

New Brunswick has the second-lowest unemployment in Atlantic Canada, behind Nova Scotia, but sits eighth out of ten provinces, ahead of only Newfoundland and Labrador and Prince Edward Island.

Nationally, unemployment rose two-tenths of a per cent to 5.2 per cent in May, marking the first increase in unemployment since last August.

Statistics Canada says the Canadian economy had a net loss of 17,000 jobs last month, with fewer people working in business, building and other support services, as well as professional, scientific and technical services.

(With files from THE CANADIAN PRESS)