In a sign of the strength of the economy, nearly all of the employment growth in October was in the private sector (+59,000). Over the same 10-month period, the number of self-employed has grown by 87,000 (+3.5 per cent) while the number of public sector workers is up only 21,000 (+0.7 per cent).

Workers' average hourly wages have risen by 3.9 per cent over the past year, more than the 3.4 per cent year-over-year increase in September's consumer price index, StatCan said. Among permanent workers, wage growth was 3.8 per cent - the biggest jump since June 2001.

Among provinces, Ontario saw the biggest number of job gains in the month. It added 21,000 positions, led by gains in professional, scientific and technical services as well as education. Employment in Ontario has risen by 1.4 per cent this year.

Employers in Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta and Nova Scotia also created jobs last month. In BC, job growth has risen 2.8 per cent from the level at the end of 2004, the strongest job growth rate in the country.

Here are province-by-province unemployment rates:

• Newfoundland 15.2
• Prince Edward Island 11.1
• New Brunswick 11.0
• Nova Scotia 8.5
• Quebec 8.3
• Ontario 6.4
• Saskatchewan 5.2
• British Columbia 5.1
  
• Manitoba 4.4
• Alberta 4.0

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