Economy ends year with a bang; jobs, trade blow past forecasts

Canada’s economy ended the year with a bang, with a surge in full-time employment and the country’s first trade surplus in two years.

Employers created a surprising 54,000 net new jobs in December, bucking expectations for a small loss.

“A stunner,” CIBC Chief Economist Avery Shenfeld said in a note. “There were jobs, jobs everywhere, and this time, they were offering a full day’s work.”