StatsCan revisions show higher December jobs growth

Job losses less severe than originally estimated

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's economy created 21,700 net new jobs in December, up from the 17,500 previously reported, according to revised data released by Statistics Canada.

StatsCan revised estimates from its Labour Force Survey going back three years, using the latest seasonal factors.

The December unemployment rate was unchanged at 7.5 per cent, it said.

The job losses in November and October now appear to be less severe than originally estimated. The net job loss in November was 5,500 versus the 18,6000 StatsCan previously reported but the unemployment rate was a notch higher at 7.5 per cent.

In October the economy shed 52,700 positions rather than 54,000, according to the new data, and the unemployment rate was 7.4 per cent versus the 7.3 per cent previously reported.

From December 2010 to December 2011, the economy created 190,000 net jobs, just 200 fewer than previously estimated.

The economy recovered all the jobs lost during the recession in January 2011, StatsCan said.

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