Canada Adds Further 246,000 Jobs in August, Labour Force Survey Shows

Canadian employment rose by a further 246,000 jobs in August, as the economic rebound from the coronavirus crisis continued.

The Canada jobs Labour Force Survey revealed a 1.4 percent employment increase, following an increase of 419,000 jobs (2.4%) in July and 1.2 million in May and June.

However, employment remains 1.1 million jobs behind pre-coronavirus levels recorded in February.

The Statistics Canada figures show the number of workers impacted by COV-19 stood at 1.8 million as of the study period of August 9 to 15. This figure, which includes jobs lost and absences from work, peaked at 5.5 million in April.

Canada’s unemployment rate fell 0.7 percentage points to 10.2 percent in August, still well above the pre-virus rate of 5.6 percent recorded in February. During the 2008 global recession, Canadian unemployment reached 8.7 percent and took nine years to recover. 

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Women added jobs at a faster pace than men in August, responsible for 150,000 of the employment increases, a rise of 1.8 percent. Men added 96,000 jobs, an increase of 1 percent.

Young people were the hardest hit by the pandemic shutdowns and remain the furthest from February levels of employment. Employment among those aged 15 to 24 is at 84.7 percent of February levels.

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What Are The Labour Force Survey Highlights?

Unemployment rate (%)	10.2
Employment rate (%)	58.0
Labour force participation rate (%)	64.6
Number unemployed	2,046,900
Number working	18,091,700
Youth (15-24) unemployment rate (%)	23.1
Men (over 25) unemployment rate (%)	8.4
Women (over 25) unemployment rate (%)	7.7

Source: Statistics Canada

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Provincial Canada Jobs Picture

Ontario and Quebec showed the largest gains when the jobs data is broken down by province.

Ontario added 142,000 jobs in August, an increase of 2 percent, bringing the province’s unemployment rate down to 10.6 percent. The gains mean Canada’s most populous province is now at 93.6 percent of its pre-pandemic employment.

Quebec, meanwhile, added 54,000 jobs in August for an increase of 1.3 percent. The French-speaking province now has employment at 95.7 percent of pre-pandemic levels, and an unemployment rate of 8.7 percent.

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Unemployment Rates In Canada’s Provinces

	Jobs change in last month	Unemployment rate (%)
British Columbia	15,300	10.7
Alberta	9.700	11.8
Saskatchewan	4,700	7.9
Manitoba	8,100	8.1
Ontario	141,800	10.6
Quebec	54,200	8.7
New Brunswick	-700	9.4
Nova Scotia	7,200	10.3
Prince Edward Island	1,600	10.7
Newfoundland & Labrador	4,000	13.1
CANADA	245,800	10.2

Source: Statistics Canada

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British Columbia reported the largest jobs increase of the western provinces, at 15,000, or 0.6 percent. B.C. now has an unemployment rate of 10.7 percent, with employment at 94.1 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

Nova Scotia led the way in Atlantic Canada, adding 7,200 jobs for an increase of 1.6 percent, with unemployment at 10.3 percent.