Canada shed 63,000 net jobs in December, its first employment decline since April pushing up the unemployment rate 0.1 percentage points to 8.6 percent, the national statistical agency said Friday.

The losses were mostly in sectors affected by continuing public health measures, such as accommodations and food services, Statistics Canada said in a statement.

Part time job losses, notably among youths and those aged 55 or older, were particularly acute. The number of self-employed workers also plunged.

The Covid-19 economic shutdown, however, directly impacted fewer Canadians in December than in April, with 1.1 million unemployed or working fewer hours versus 5.5 million at the start of the pandemic.

About one quarter of Canadians were also working from home, down from two-fifths in April.

amc/bgs