NEW.BRUNSWICK (CBC) - A record number of New Brunswickers were working in October, according to Statistics Canada.

Employment across the province stood at 369,400, the labour survey found. That's about 1,600 more than in September.

New Brunswick continues to buck the national trend as the only province where the unemployment rate has decreased since the recession began in October 2008.

Labour Minister Donald Arseneault said he was encouraged by the latest figures. The provincial unemployment rate in October was 8.5 per cent, below the national average for the second consecutive month, Statistics Canada reports.

New Brunswick also had the second-highest employment growth, year-over-year, at plus 0.1 per cent, second only to Prince Edward Island at plus 1.3 per cent, the survey found.

Nationally, employment decreased 2.3 per cent from October 2008.

The sectors with the strongest employment growth in New Brunswick include accommodation and food services, construction, finance, insurance, real estate and leasing.