The unemployment rate in Canada did not change much last month, and neither did it change much in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Statistics Canada says Canada lost a modest 6,400 jobs in July as the unemployment rate moved up to 5.5 per cent amid population growth.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, the rate changed slightly to 8.7 per cent from 8.8 in May.

City unemloyment rates are based on three-month averages, so they tend to fluctuate significantly. St. Jonh’s was 5.9 per cent in the July stats compared with 5.0 previously.

The federal agency says job losses nation-wide were led by the construction industry, while the greatest job gains were made in health care and social assistance.