Ontario accounted for almost two-thirds of the job growth in the country, with more than 30,000 positions filled in January, according to the latest Statistics Canada labour force survey.

In comparison, Ontario has about 40 per cent of the country's population.

While full-time employment was flat across Canada, with the vast majority of the 43,000 jobs created part-time, Ontario created almost 14,000 full-time jobs.

Strong labour force growth meant the provincial unemployment rate stayed at 9.2 per cent, Vincent Ferrao, a Statistics Canada analyst, told ctvtoronto.ca on Friday.

The gains mainly came in private and public-sector employment.

Nationally, the unemployment rate fell to 8.3 per cent from 8.4 per cent. TD Economics called the 43,000 figure "stunning" -- but it noted the "more important measure of employment health, full-time employment, was relatively flat."

Ken Lewenza, president of the Canadian Auto Workers, said Friday in a news release that the growth in part-time work is no cause for celebration.

"Instead it means that more Canadians are ending up in precarious employment -- characterized by irregular hours, little job security, low wages and few benefits. This is really nothing to cheer about," he said.

Nationally, manufacturing jobs fell by 15,000, but rose by 8,400 in Ontario. The province has recovered 16,900 manufacturing jobs since September.

TD Economics said Ontario's job creation in January happened mostly in manufacturing and private-sector services. Ferrao added that retail and whole sale trade, along with business and building support services, also saw growth.

TD Economics noted that Ontario's employment level is still 2.4 per cent below its pre-recession peak. Only Nova Scotia (-2.5 per cent) and Alberta (-2.8 per cent) are worse.

In absolute terms, Ontario is about 159,000 jobs below its pre-recession peak.

Statistics Canada noted that Ontario has gained 51,000 jobs since July, which it called a modest upward trend.

Here are the unemployment rates for some Ontario cities (the December figure is in brackets):

  • Toronto - 9.4 per cent (9.4)
  • Hamilton - 8.9 (8.5)
  • Kingston - 5.9 (6.0)
  • Kitchener - 9.9 (9.3)
  • London - 8.7 (8.8)
  • Oshawa - 10.4 (9.9)
  • Ottawa - 6.2 (6.0)
  • St. Catharines-Niagara - 11.2 (11.0)
  • Windsor - 12.8 (12.7)

With files from The Canadian Press