CANADA posted strong jobs growth in August and the unemployment rate fell to its lowest point since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, according to data that could boost Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s hopes for reelection later this month.

Canada added 90,200 jobs last month, close to analysts’ average estimate of 100,000, and the jobless rate dropped to 7.1 percent, below the 7.3 percent estimate, Statistics Canada reported Friday. Employment is now within 1 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

The ruling Liberals led by Trudeau, now in the crucial last stage of the campaign before the Sept. 20 election have seized upon the country’s economic rebound to trumpet their fiscal policies, including heavy spending to fight the pandemic.

“These results are a testament to the hard work of Canadians, as well as the strength of our plan to get Canadians through the pandemic to recovery,” Mona Fortier, the junior finance minister, said in a statement.

The employment data showed the summer reopening had bolstered the hardest-hit segments of the services sector.

“It was a solid report, probably a little bit better than we expected. The main story is the economy is slowly but surely grinding back,” said Doug Porter, chief economist at BMO Capital Markets.

Canada’s economy unexpectedly contracted in the second quarter and again in July. This week’s inflation numbers are the final major economic release before the country’s vote.

Economists said while the jobs data was mostly positive, the number of hours worked by Canadians barely changed and remains 2.6 percent below pre-pandemic levels, which could weigh on economic growth.(SD-Agencies)