Statistics Canada says the economy lost 79,600 jobs in February and that the number of payroll employees has fallen by 296,000, or two per cent, since October.

The agency's survey of non-farm, payroll employment found the biggest February drop was in manufacturing, where over 19,000 jobs were lost.

Since October, 99,700 manufacturing jobs have disappeared, a loss of 6.1 per cent.

Nearly a quarter of that decline came in the auto industry.

The construction sector lost over 11,000 jobs in February.

There were more modest declines other sectors, including truck transportation and non-Internet publishing.

But there were some job gains in health and education, including elementary and secondary schools, and community colleges and CEGEPs in Quebec.