This could be partially due to US retail chains expanding to Canada desperately looking for growth in new markets. There is a number of US chains with aggressive growth plans for Canada. Oh joy. More McJOBS. For example I laughed out loud when seeing a CROCS store "Opening soon" in one of the main shopping areas in my city. CROCS? You have to be kidding me.
2010 olympics construction and tourism jobs on the WC masking things maybe a little . Multi-unit residential construction here has dryed up, single family increasing a little. Was surprised to see the average wage increase 4.3% y/y.
I think a big part of the success lately here in Canada has been the rise in the price of oil. The entire oil industry is starting back up after shutting down operations in the fall. I also think Stephen Harper has been spending and regulating in the right spots. Despite what you may think about his political views/policies, he was an economist before he got into politics.