The new wave of COVID cases in Canada and the increasing lockdown measures have cost Canadians 207,100 jobs. Experts initially estimated the country would lose 150,000 jobs. 

Unemployment rose from 7.5% to 8.1%. Most of the job loss was concentrated in lockdown affected sectors such as retail, food and hospitality. 

In the United States, the Labor Department released the April employment data today: U.S. payrolls increased by 266,000. 

While the U.S. experienced an increase in jobs contrary to Canada’s loss, the U.S. data was considered disappointing. Experts estimated an increase of 1 million in U.S. jobs for the month of April.

Canada’s slow vaccine rollout made the country vulnerable to a third wave of cases that occurred during the month of April, forcing many jurisdictions into stringent lockdown again. 

While the United States has fully vaccinated 32.8% of its population, Canada is still lagging behind at 2.6%.