Statistics Canada says the economy lost 213,000 jobs in January as employment fell to the lowest level since August last year, wiping out the gains made in the fall.
The unemployment rate rose 0.6 percentage points to 9.4 percent, the highest rate since August.
Financial data firm Refinitiv says the average economist estimate was for a loss of 47,500 jobs in January and an unemployment rate of 8.9 percent.