April to June, 2021
Introduction
About the Ontario Employment Report
The Ontario Employment Report is released four times a year and provides an assessment of the current trends and developments in the Ontario labour market. The Ontario Employment Report is a companion report to the Ontario Economic Accounts, which provides an overall assessment of the current state of the Ontario economy.
Methodological note
In the current issue, year-over-year change represents change between the averages in the second quarter of 2020 and the second quarter of 2021. Note that the Ontario Economic Accounts report primarily shows changes between the previous and the current quarter.
This report uses seasonally adjusted data in charts displaying data with a monthly frequency in the Overview section.
Unadjusted data is used in charts and tables showing the changes for the current quarter compared with the same quarter for the previous year. Unadjusted data is also used to calculate annual averages, year-to-date averages and 2021 second quarter averages.
All estimates in this report are based on Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey (LFS), which measures the current state of the national provincial and territorial labour market. The LFS is based on a household survey carried out monthly by Statistics Canada in reference weeks of the month. The reference periods for the three months of the second quarter of 2021 are April 11 to 17, May 9 to 15 and June 13 to 19.
Impact of COVID‑19 on the labour market
Beginning in mid-March 2020, travel restrictions, business closures and physical distancing measures were put in place by various levels of government to help contain the spread of COVID‑19 and protect the health of Ontarians. These restrictions and public health measures were in place to varying degrees throughout 2020 and in the second quarter 2021.
Starting in April 2021, Ontario was under a province-wide Stay-at-Home order and enacted additional public health measures. In June 2021, Ontario transitioned into the Roadmap to Reopen
Overview
Ontario’s labour market overview
Employment:
- +739,900 net jobs in Q2 2021, year-over-year
- +504,700 net full-time jobs in Q2 2021, year-over-year
- +116,900 jobs in June 2021
- +24,700 full-time jobs in June 2021
Unemployment rate:
- 9.0% in the second quarter of 2021
- 8.4% in June 2021
Year-over-year, Ontario’s employment, increased by 11.3% (+739,900) in the second quarter of 2021, while Canada’s employment increased by 11.9% (+1,996,000). Despite strong employment gains year-over-year, as of June 2021, employment in Ontario remains 2.5% below its pre-pandemic level in February 2020.
In June 2021, Ontario’s employment increased by 1.6% (+116,900), while Canada’s employment increased by 1.2% (+230,700).
Ontario’s unemployment rate was 9.0% in the second quarter of 2021, higher than the Canadian rate of 8.0%.
In June 2021, Ontario’s unemployment rate decreased by 0.9 percentage points (from 9.3% to 8.4%) and Canada’s unemployment rate decreased by 0.4 percentage points (from 8.2% to 7.8%).
Year-over-year overview
Ontario’s labour market, 2008-2021
The combination line and area chart shows Ontario’s unemployment rate (line chart) and employment (area chart) from January 2008 to June 2021. Ontario’s unemployment rate has trended downwards since the 2008/09 recession, reaching 5.3% in January 2020, before rising to 13.5% in May 2020, then falling to 8.4% in June 2021. Employment in Ontario has risen steadily since the 2008/09 recession, reaching just under 7.5 million workers in January 2020, before dropping to below 6.4 million workers in May 2020, then rising to just over 7.3 million workers in June 2021.
Between the second quarter of 2020 and 2021:
- employment gains were concentrated in full-time employment (+504,700, +9.1%), while part-time work also increased (+235,200, +23.3%)
- employment increased in the private sector (+15.0%), the public sector (+9.5%) and those who are self-employed (+0.2%)
- employment increased in services-producing industries (+11.0%) and goods-producing industries (+12.8%)
- employment increased in every region with Southwestern Ontario (15.2%) experiencing the highest rate of employment growth
- employment increased for all age groups with youth experiencing the highest rate of employment growth (+25.2%) compared to other age groups
Type of Work quarterly details
Employment change by work status
The horizontal bar chart shows a year-over-year (between the second quarters of 2020 and 2021) change in Ontario’s employment by full-time and part-time status. Total employment increased by 11.3%, with full-time employment increasing by 9.1%, and part-time employment increasing by 23.3%.
Year-over-year, part-time employment increased by 23.3% and full-time employment increased by 9.1% in the second quarter of 2021. Despite these strong employment gains year-over-year, as of June 2021, employment in Ontario remains below its pre-pandemic level in February 2020 for part-time workers (-3.1%) and full-time workers (-2.4%).
Overall, part-time workers have been disproportionally impacted by the COVID‑19 pandemic as they are more likely to work in industries that experienced the largest decline in employment, including accommodation and food services and retail trade.
Employment change by employment sector
The horizontal bar chart shows a year-over-year (between the second quarters of 2020 and 2021) change in Ontario’s employment for the private sector, public sector and self-employment. Employment increased in the private sector (+15.0%), the public sector (+9.5%) and for the self-employed (+0.2%).
Year-over-year, private sector employment increased by 15.0%, public sector employment increased by 9.5% and self-employment increased by 0.2%.
Employment above-average wage and below-average wage industries
The horizontal bar chart shows a year-over-year (between the second quarters of 2020 and 2021) change in Ontario’s employment for above- and below-average wage industries, compared to the paid employment in all industries. Employment increased in both below-average and above-average wage industries by 15.8% and 10.9% respectively. Paid employment in all industries (excluding self-employment) increased by 13.7%. Above-average wage industries are defined as those with wage rates above the average hourly wages of all industries in 2020.
Year-over-year, paid employment increased in below-average wage industries by 15.8%, and employment in above-average wage industries increased by 10.9%.
Sector and occupation quarterly details
Employment change by industry, goods-producing industries
The horizontal bar chart shows a year-over-year (between the second quarters of 2020 and 2021) change in Ontario’s employment by industry for goods-producing industries, measured in thousands with percentage changes in brackets. Employment increased in four of five goods-producing industries: manufacturing (+104,800, +15.7%), construction (+59,200, +12.6%), utilities (+1,300, +2.6%) and forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas (+900, +2.7%). Agriculture was the only goods-producing industry that experienced an employment decline (-100, -0.1%). The overall employment in goods-producing industries increased by 166,100 (+12.8%).
Employment in goods-producing industries increased significantly in the second quarter of 2021, compared to the same period in 2020. The overall gain was driven by large increases in manufacturing (+15.7%) and construction (+12.6%), and small increases in utilities (+2.6%) and forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas (+2.7%). Employment declined in agriculture (-0.1%).
Employment change by industry, services-producing industries
The horizontal bar chart shows a year-over-year (between the second quarters of 2020 and 2021) change in Ontario’s employment by industry for services-producing industries, measured in thousands with percentage changes in brackets. Employment increased in ten of the eleven services-producing industries. Wholesale and retail trade (+115,200, +12.6%) experienced the largest increase in employment, followed by professional, scientific and technical services (+93,800, +14.7%), health care and social assistance (+90,000, +10.9%), accommodation and food services (+76,300, +30.1%), educational services (+46,000, +9.4%), information, culture and recreation (+41,700, +17.2%), other services (+34,900, +13.9%), public administration (+28,400, +7.5%), transportation and warehousing (+28,300, +8.2%) and finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (+22,900, +3.8%). Business, building and other support services was the only services-producing industry to experience an employment decline (-3,700, -1.3%). The overall employment in services-producing industries increased by 573,700 (+11.0%).
In the second quarter of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, employment increased in all services-producing industries, except for business, building, and other support services (-1.3%). Among services-producing industries, wholesale and retail trade (+12.6%) experienced the largest employment gains followed by professional, scientific and technical services (+14.7%), health care and social assistance (+10.9%) and accommodation and food services (+30.1%).
Employment change by occupational group
The horizontal bar chart shows a year-over-year (between the second quarters of 2020 and 2021) change in Ontario’s employment by broad occupational group measured in thousands with percentage changes in brackets. Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services (+192,500, +14.1%) experienced the largest employment increase, followed by business, finance and administration occupations (+151,500, +13.2%), occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport (+110,800, +13.2%), trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations (+100,900, +13.4%), natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations (+74,600, +11.4%), occupations in manufacturing and utilities (+46,700, +29.2%), management occupations (+41,100, +8.0%), health occupations (+35,900, +11.3%) and natural and applied sciences and related occupations (+500, +0.5%). Employments in sales and service occupations declined by 14,800 (-2.2%).
Year-over-year, employment increased in every broad occupational group, except for sales and service occupations (-2.2%). Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services (+14.1%) experienced the largest increase in employment followed by business, finance and administration occupations (+13.2%), occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport (+13.2%), trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations (+13.4%) and natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations (+11.4%). Manufacturing and utilities (+29.2%) experienced the highest rate of employment growth in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the second quarter of 2020.
Geographic region
Ontario regions
The map shows Ontario’s five regions: Northern Ontario, Eastern Ontario, Southwestern Ontario, Central Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area. This map is based on groupings of Statistics Canada’s economic regions.
Employment change by Ontario region
The horizontal bar chart shows a year-over-year (between the second quarters of 2020 and 2021) change in employment in the five Ontario regions: Northern Ontario, Eastern Ontario, Southwestern Ontario, Central Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Employment increased in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) (10.9%), Central Ontario (12.4%) Southwestern Ontario (15.2%), Eastern Ontario (10.5%) and Northern Ontario (3.9%). The overall employment in Ontario increased by 11.3%.
Year-over-year, employment increased in all Ontario regions in the second quarter of 2021. Southwestern Ontario (15.2%) experienced the highest rate of employment growth, followed by Central Ontario (12.4%), the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)
Unemployment rates by Ontario region
The horizontal bar chart shows unemployment rates by Ontario region in the second quarter of 2021. The unemployment rate decreased in all Ontario regions. The Greater Toronto Area had the highest unemployment rate (10.0%) followed by Southwestern Ontario (8.6%), Eastern Ontario (8.3%), and Central Ontario (7.9%). Northern Ontario (7.3%) had the lowest unemployment rate. The overall unemployment rate for Ontario was 9.0%.
In the second quarter of 2021, the unemployment rate decreased in every region. The GTA had the highest unemployment rate (10.0%), while Northern Ontario had the lowest unemployment rate (7.3%).
Participation rates by Ontario region
The horizontal bar chart shows participation rates by Ontario region in the second quarter of 2021. The Greater Toronto Area had the highest participation rate at 66.0%, followed by Eastern Ontario (65.5%), Central Ontario (64.6%), Southwestern Ontario (63.1%) and Northern Ontario (58.1%). The overall participation rate for Ontario was 64.9%.
In the second quarter of 2021, the labour force participation rate varied among economic regions, ranging from 58.1% in Northern Ontario to 66.0% in the GTA.
Age and gender quarterly details
Employment change by age group and gender
The horizontal bar chart shows a year-over-year (between the second quarters of 2020 and 2021) change in Ontario’s employment for the three major age groups, as well as by gender, compared to the overall population. This is measured in thousands with percentage changes in brackets. Employment increased among workers in all age groups and for both males and females, with total employment increasing by 739,900 (+11.3%). Core-aged workers aged 25 to 54 posted the largest employment increase (+412,800, +9.6%), followed by youth aged 15 to 24 years (+181,800, +25.2%) and older workers aged 55 years and over (+145,200, +9.7%). Female employment increased by 393,600 (+13.0%%) and male employment increased by 346,300 (+9.9%).
Compared to the same quarter last year, employment increased for all age groups in the second quarter of 2021. Youth aged 15 to 24 posted the highest rate of employment growth (+25.2%), followed by older workers aged 55 years and over (+9.7%) and core-aged workers aged 25 to 54 (+9.6%). Despite these strong employment gains year-over-year, as of June 2021, employment in Ontario remains below its pre-pandemic level in February 2020 for all age groups (-9.5% for youth, -1.9% for older workers and -1.3% for core-aged workers).
Overall, employment losses during the COVID‑19 pandemic have been much more severe for youth as they are more likely to work in industries that were heavily impacted by the pandemic, such as accommodation and food services and retail trade.
Year-over-year, employment increased more for females (+13.0%) than for males (+9.9%), however as of June 2021, employment for females (-2.6%) is still further below its pre-pandemic level compared to males (-2.5%).
Unemployment rates by age group and gender
The horizontal bar chart shows unemployment rates in the second quarter of 2021 for Ontario as a whole, by major age group and by gender. Ontario’s overall unemployment rate in the second quarter of 2021 was 9.0%. Youth aged 15 to 24 years had the highest unemployment rate at 20.4%, followed by older Ontarians aged 55 years and over at 7.7% and the core-aged population aged 25 to 54 at 6.9%. The female unemployment rate was 9.1% and the male unemployment rate was 8.9%.
In the second quarter of 2021, youth had the highest unemployment rate (20.4%), followed by older people (7.7%) and core-aged people (6.9%). Compared to the same period last year, the unemployment rate decreased by 9.2 percentage points for youth, 3.1 percentage points for core-aged people and 1.5 percentage points for older people.
In the second quarter of 2021, the unemployment rate for females (9.1%) was higher than that for males (8.9%). Compared to the same period last year, the unemployment rate decreased by 4.3 percentage points for females and 2.9 percentage points for males.
Participation rates by age group and gender
The horizontal bar chart shows labour force participation rates in the second quarter of 2021 for Ontario as a whole, by major age group and by gender. Ontario’s overall labour force participation rate was 64.9%. The core-aged population aged 25 to 54 years had the highest labour force participation rate at 86.5%, followed by youth aged 15 to 24 years at 61.1%, and older Ontarians aged 55 years and over at 38.8%. The male participation rate (69.9%) was higher than the female participation rate (60.1%).
In the second quarter of 2021, core-aged people had the highest labour force participation rate (86.5%) followed by youth (61.1%) and older people (38.8%). Compared to the second quarter of 2020, the participation rate increased by 6.3 percentage points for youth, 4.4 percentage points for core-aged people and 2.1 percentage points for older people.
Men had a higher participation rate (69.9%) than women (60.1%) in the second quarter of 2021. Compared to the same period last year, the participation rate increased by 3.6 percentage points for males and 3.8 percentage points for females.
Education level and immigrant status quarterly details
Employment rates by education level and immigrant status (core-aged population)
The horizontal bar chart shows employment rates by education level and immigrant status for the core-aged population (25 to 54 years old), in the second quarter of 2021. By education level, those with a university degree had the highest employment rate (87.3%), followed by those with a postsecondary certificate/diploma (82.1%), those with a high school diploma (70.1%), and those with less than high school education (53.1%). By immigrant status, those born in Canada had the highest employment rate (82.9%), followed by established immigrants with more than 10 years since landing (78.2%), recent immigrants with more than 5 to 10 years since landing (75.0%), and very recent immigrants with 5 years or less since landing (73.2%).
In the second quarter of 2021, those with less than a high school diploma continued to have the lowest employment rate (53.1%), while those with a university degree recorded the highest employment rate (87.3%), followed by those with a postsecondary certificate or diploma (82.1%).
Year-over-year, the employment rate increased for all education levels, led by those with a university degree (+6.8 percentage points).
Those born in Canada had the highest employment rate (82.9%), while very recent immigrants continued to have the lowest employment rate (73.2%).
Year-over-year, the employment rate increased for all groups by immigrant status, led by very recent immigrants (+10.3 percentage points).
Unemployment rates by education level and immigrant status (core-aged population)
The horizontal bar chart shows unemployment rates by education level and immigrant status for the core-aged population (25 to 54 years old), in the second quarter of 2021. By education level, those with less than high school education had the highest unemployment rate (12.5%), followed by those with high school education (9.6%), those with a postsecondary certificate or diploma (7.2%) and university degree holders (5.2%). By immigrant status, recent immigrants with more than 5 to 10 years since landing had the highest unemployment rate (10.1%), followed by very recent immigrants with 5 years or less since landing (9.2%), established immigrants with more than 10 years since landing (7.4%) and those born in Canada (6.2%).
In the second quarter of 2021, those with a university degree had the lowest unemployment rate (5.2%) while those with less than a high school diploma had the highest unemployment rate (12.5%). Year-over-year, the unemployment rate of core-aged people for all education levels decreased.
Year-over-year, the unemployment rate also decreased for all groups by immigrant status. In the second quarter of 2021, those born in Canada had the lowest unemployment rate (6.2%), while recent immigrants had the highest unemployment rate (10.1%).
Participation rates by education level and immigrant status (core-aged population)
The horizontal bar chart shows labour force participation rates by education level and immigrant status for the core-aged population (25 to 54 years old), in the second quarter of 2021. By education level, university degree holders had the highest participation rate (92.1%), followed by postsecondary certificate or diploma holders (88.5%), high school graduates (77.6%), and those with less than high school education (60.8%). By immigrant status, those born in Canada had the highest participation rate (88.3%), followed by established immigrants with more than 10 years since landing (84.4%), recent immigrants with more than 5 to 10 years since landing (83.5%) and very recent immigrants with 5 years or less since landing (80.6%).
In the second quarter of 2021, those with a university degree continued to have the highest participation rate (92.1%), while those with less than a high school diploma had the lowest participation rate (60.8%). Year-over-year, the participation rate increased for all education levels.
In the second quarter of 2021, recent immigrants and very recent immigrants continued to have the lowest participation rate compared to established immigrants and those born in Canada. Year-over-year, the participation rate increased for all groups by immigrant status.
Wages quarterly details
Average hourly wages by employment status, 1997-2020
The line chart shows average hourly wages for all employees, full-time and part-time employees expressed in real 2020 dollars from 1997 to 2020. Real average hourly wages of all employees increased from $25.18 in 1997 to $30.24 in 2020; those of full-time employees increased from $27.03 in 1997 to $32.05 in 2020 and those of part-time employees increased from $17.09 in 1997 to $20.48 in 2020.
Over the last two decades, the average hourly wage increased in real terms
Hourly wage growth by type of work
The vertical bar chart shows a year-over-year (between the second quarters of 2020 and 2021) per cent change in Ontario’s nominal hourly wages by type of work. The average hourly wage decreased by 1.1%. Hourly wages increased slightly for full-time workers (+0.1%) and decreased for part-time employees (-2.9%). The average hourly wage for permanent employees decreased (-0.7%) and increased for temporary employees (+0.2%). Average hourly wages for employees with union coverage increased (+0.7%) and decreased those without union coverage (-1.6%). Inflation during the same period was 3.4%.
In the second quarter of 2021, the average hourly wage of Ontario employees was $30.83, a decrease of 1.1% from the second quarter of 2020.
The average hourly wage for part-time positions decreased by 2.9%, while the average hourly wage for full-time workers increased by 0.1%.
Consumer Price Index inflation over the second quarter of 2021 compared to the second quarter of 2020 was 3.4%.
Average hourly wage rate and wage growth by occupational group
The horizontal bar chart shows average hourly wage rates in the second quarter of 2021 and year-over-year (between the second quarters of 2020 and 2021) change in average hourly wage rate, by occupational group. In the second quarter of 2021, the average hourly wage rate for Ontario was $30.83 (-1.1%). The highest average hourly wage rate was for management occupations at $50.95 (+3.1%); followed by natural and applied sciences and related occupations at $40.28 (-0.2%); and occupations in education, law and social, community and government services at $36.80 (-5.8%). The lowest average hourly wage rate was for sales and service occupations at $20.25 (-0.6%).
Year-over-year, five broad occupational groups experienced growth in average hourly wages, while the remaining five experienced a decrease in average hourly wage. Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport (+4.8%), natural resources, agriculture and related occupations (+4.5%) and trades, transport and equipment operators (+4.1%) experienced the largest increase in average hourly wage. The three broad occupational groups that experienced the largest decrease in average hourly wages were: education, law, social, community and government services (-5.8%), manufacturing and utilities (-4.0%), and health (-1.5%).
Appendix I
Net employment between February 2020 and June 2021
Below are highlights (seasonally adjusted) of recent trends in Ontario’s labour market between February 2020 and June 2021 as a result of the COVID‑19 pandemic.
The horizontal bar chart shows seasonally adjusted changes in employment and unemployment rate between February 2020 and June 2021. Employment decreased (-190,400, -2.5%), including a decline in full-time employment (-148,600, -2.4%), as well as part-time employment (-41,800, -3.1%), employment decline in services-producing industries (-150,100, -2.5%), as well as in goods-producing industries (-40,200, -2.7%). Unemployment rate increased by 2.9 percentage points.
Appendix II
Overview of annual employment ten-year review
| - | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Labour Force (000) | 7,207.3 | 7,238.7 | 7,325.1 | 7,345.3 | 7,343.0 | 7,408.9 | 7,506.5 | 7,608.9 | 7,816.3 | 7,766.0 |
| Participation Rate (%) | 66.5 | 66.0 | 66.1 | 65.7 | 65.1 | 64.9 | 64.7 | 64.3 | 64.9 | 63.6 |
| Male Participation Rate (%) | 71.1 | 70.7 | 70.5 | 70.2 | 70.0 | 69.6 | 69.3 | 68.8 | 69.5 | 68.4 |
| Female Participation Rate (%) | 62.0 | 61.5 | 61.9 | 61.3 | 60.5 | 60.4 | 60.2 | 60.1 | 60.4 | 58.9 |
| Total Employment (000) | 6,638.2 | 6,666.7 | 6,768.1 | 6,809.1 | 6,845.4 | 6,921.4 | 7,052.5 | 7,173.3 | 7,376.9 | 7,021.6 |
| - Full-time (000) | 5,360.4 | 5,389.0 | 5,449.1 | 5,486.6 | 5,557.4 | 5,610.5 | 5,713.2 | 5,845.7 | 6,000.3 | 5,797.4 |
| - Part-time (000) | 1,277.8 | 1,277.7 | 1,318.9 | 1,322.5 | 1,288.0 | 1,310.9 | 1,339.3 | 1,327.6 | 1,376.6 | 1,224.3 |
| Employment-Population Ratio (%) | 61.2 | 60.8 | 61.1 | 60.9 | 60.7 | 60.6 | 60.8 | 60.6 | 61.2 | 57.5 |
| Male Employment (000) | 3,449.1 | 3,470.1 | 3,508.9 | 3,549.1 | 3,583.9 | 3,622.6 | 3,692.1 | 3,760.6 | 3,874.7 | 3,722.1 |
| Female Employment (000) | 3,189.1 | 3,196.6 | 3,259.1 | 3,260.1 | 3,261.4 | 3,298.8 | 3,360.4 | 3,412.7 | 3,502.2 | 3,299.6 |
| Part-Time (% of total) | 19.2 | 19.2 | 19.5 | 19.4 | 18.8 | 18.9 | 19.0 | 18.5 | 18.7 | 17.4 |
| Goods-Producing Sector Employment (000) | 1,397.4 | 1,406.8 | 1,381.0 | 1,366.4 | 1,393.8 | 1,425.1 | 1,439.4 | 1,463.9 | 1,467.3 | 1,410.7 |
| Services-Producing Sector Employment (000) | 5,240.8 | 5,259.9 | 5,387.1 | 5,442.7 | 5,451.6 | 5,496.3 | 5,613.1 | 5,709.5 | 5,909.7 | 5,610.9 |
| Private Sector Employment (000) | 4,331.1 | 4,347.1 | 4,405.3 | 4,473.5 | 4,505.5 | 4,544.1 | 4,640.1 | 4,716.7 | 4,830.6 | 4,542.0 |
| Public Sector Employment (000) | 1,303.1 | 1,289.5 | 1,310.0 | 1,298.1 | 1,281.2 | 1,293.7 | 1,318.8 | 1,359.7 | 1,375.4 | 1,358.8 |
| Self-Employment (% of total) | 15.1 | 15.4 | 15.6 | 15.2 | 15.5 | 15.7 | 15.5 | 15.3 | 15.9 | 16.0 |
| Total Unemployment (000) | 569.1 | 572.0 | 557.1 | 536.1 | 497.6 | 487.5 | 454.0 | 435.5 | 439.4 | 744.4 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 7.9 | 7.9 | 7.6 | 7.3 | 6.8 | 6.6 | 6.0 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 9.6 |
| Male Unemployment Rate (%) | 8.2 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 6.8 | 6.3 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 9.2 |
| Female Unemployment Rate (%) | 7.6 | 7.5 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 6.5 | 6.3 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 5.5 | 10.0 |
| Long-Term (27 wks+) (% of total) | 24.3 | 22.8 | 23.1 | 22.9 | 20.0 | 20.0 | 19.5 | 16.9 | 15.0 | 14.7 |
| Average Unemployment in Weeks | 22.5 | 22.3 | 21.9 | 22.5 | 20.0 | 20.0 | 19.3 | 17.2 | 15.8 | 15.3 |
| Youth Unemployment Rate (%) | 15.5 | 16.6 | 15.9 | 15.2 | 14.3 | 13.7 | 12.2 | 11.8 | 12.0 | 22.0 |
| 25-54 y.o. Unemployment rate (%) | 6.6 | 6.5 | 6.3 | 6.0 | 5.6 | 5.5 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 7.7 |
| 55+ y.o. Unemployment rate (%) | 6.1 | 5.9 | 5.6 | 5.5 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 7.0 |
| Average Weekly Wage Rate ($) | 862.69 | 883.62 | 869.44 | 907.05 | 938.01 | 958.16 | 965.71 | 998.41 | 1,033.38 | 1,113.99 |
| Average Hourly Wage Rate ($) | 23.56 | 24.10 | 24.50 | 24.81 | 25.58 | 26.13 | 26.38 | 27.28 | 28.26 | 30.24 |
Employment by region (000)
| - | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Toronto Area | 3,074.9 | 3,099.6 | 3,214.9 | 3,202.7 | 3,264.8 | 3,303.9 | 3,363.5 | 3,432.8 | 3,548.3 | 3,381.8 |
| Central | 1,542.0 | 1,537.2 | 1,542.4 | 1,577.6 | 1,582.3 | 1,589.7 | 1,653.6 | 1,659.8 | 1,696.3 | 1,616.5 |
| Southwestern | 767.7 | 768.0 | 764.0 | 771.5 | 769.7 | 779.9 | 785.8 | 808.4 | 810.6 | 771.4 |
| Eastern | 893.9 | 904.1 | 890.7 | 899.4 | 881.5 | 898.2 | 898.5 | 915.1 | 964.5 | 908.5 |
| Northern | 359.7 | 357.8 | 356.1 | 358.0 | 347.1 | 349.7 | 351.0 | 357.3 | 357.2 | 343.3 |
Unemployment rate by region (%)
| - | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Toronto Area | 8.4 | 8.8 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 6.2 | 6.0 | 10.7 |
| Central | 7.5 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 6.2 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 8.8 |
| Southwestern | 8.1 | 7.9 | 7.7 | 7.0 | 6.9 | 6.1 | 5.6 | 5.3 | 5.5 | 9.0 |
| Eastern | 6.7 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 7.0 | 6.6 | 6.4 | 5.9 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 7.7 |
| Northern | 7.8 | 7.2 | 7.5 | 6.6 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 7.8 |
Total employment by CMA (000)
Greater Toronto Area
| - | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | 2,916.7 | 2,942.9 | 3,061.1 | 3,043.4 | 3,114.1 | 3,140.1 | 3,206.7 | 3,262.4 | 3,385.7 | 3,221.8 |
| Oshawa | 188.1 | 188.3 | 191.5 | 197.3 | 191.4 | 208.3 | 204.6 | 214.6 | 213.0 | 205.5 |
Central Ontario
| - | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton | 373.2 | 373.7 | 369.9 | 376.9 | 377.4 | 377.3 | 408.3 | 403.0 | 411.2 | 384.9 |
| Kitchener | 280.2 | 279.0 | 284.4 | 288.9 | 288.1 | 291.7 | 301.6 | 309.4 | 322,7 | 306.2 |
| St. Catharines-Niagara | 195.0 | 200.0 | 192.2 | 194.3 | 204.4 | 204.9 | 200.8 | 205.7 | 204.3 | 190.6 |
| Peterborough | 57.3 | 58.1 | 54.2 | 59.1 | 59.8 | 58.6 | 61.3 | 64.6 | 62.0 | 53.6 |
| Brantford | 68.3 | 67.1 | 68.3 | 68.1 | 69.0 | 70.0 | 71.9 | 69.6 | 78.1 | 71.9 |
| Guelph | 81.9 | 83.6 | 78.7 | 80.5 | 89.3 | 90.1 | 90.5 | 88.2 | 91.1 | 85.1 |
| Barrie | 101.0 | 101.3 | 107.8 | 109.3 | 105.7 | 101.8 | 113.0 | 112.2 | 116.9 | 117.6 |
Eastern Ontario
| - | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa | 525.0 | 540.4 | 524.7 | 532.4 | 528.6 | 542.5 | 547.9 | 558.4 | 588.0 | 557.1 |
| Kingston | 78.7 | 79.2 | 80.2 | 78.5 | 79.5 | 80.3 | 84.0 | 82.9 | 83.7 | 80.0 |
| Belleville | 59.7 | 52.9 | 39.5 | 34.4 | 31.9 | 33.7 | 40.0 | 41.3 | 51.7 | 49.3 |
Southwestern Ontario
| - | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 236.3 | 240.0 | 236.2 | 238.0 | 247.5 | 242.8 | 244.3 | 254.0 | 253.8 | 257.2 |
| Windsor | 147.2 | 152.1 | 154.4 | 154.8 | 156.5 | 162.5 | 161.2 | 164.1 | 170.9 | 152.2 |
Northern Ontario
| - | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sudbury | 82.7 | 81.7 | 84.0 | 83.4 | 82.1 | 82.8 | 81.7 | 83.0 | 86.9 | 81.1 |
| Thunder Bay | 60.1 | 61.5 | 62.5 | 61.3 | 59.3 | 60.0 | 61.5 | 64.3 | 62.7 | 59.0 |
Overview of quarterly employment year-over-year
| - | 2019 q3 | 2020 q3 | 2019 q4 | 2020 q4 | 2020 q1 | 2021 q1 | 2020 q2 | 2021 q2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Labour Force (000) | 7,935.6 | 7,951.7 | 7,839.5 | 7,913.7 | 7,729.1 | 7,817.6 | 7,469.6 | 7,992.8 |
| Participation Rate (%) | 65.7 | 65.0 | 64.6 | 64.5 | 63.5 | 63.6 | 61.2 | 64.9 |
| Male Participation Rate (%) | 70.8 | 70.2 | 68.9 | 69.1 | 67.9 | 68.4 | 66.3 | 69.9 |
| Female Participation Rate (%) | 60.8 | 60.0 | 60.5 | 60.1 | 59.2 | 59.0 | 56.3 | 60.1 |
| Total Employment (000) | 7,464.2 | 7,070.2 | 7,459.6 | 7,236.4 | 7,246.6 | 7,105.6 | 6,533.5 | 7,273.4 |
| - Full-time (000) | 6,157.4 | 5,860.4 | 6,027.2 | 5,904.2 | 5,898.8 | 5,883.9 | 5,526.0 | 6,030.8 |
| - Part-time (000) | 1,306.9 | 1,209.7 | 1,432.4 | 1,332.2 | 1,347.8 | 1,221.8 | 1,007.4 | 1,242.6 |
| Employment-Population Ratio (%) | 61.8 | 57.8 | 61.5 | 59.0 | 59.5 | 57.8 | 53.6 | 59.0 |
| Male Employment (000) | 3,964.3 | 3,768.7 | 3,896.1 | 3,812.8 | 3,802.5 | 3,742.0 | 3,504.2 | 3,850.5 |
| Female Employment (000) | 3,500.0 | 3,301.4 | 3,563.5 | 3,423.5 | 3,444.1 | 3,363.6 | 3,029.3 | 3,422.9 |
| Part-Time (% of total) | 17.5 | 17.1 | 19.2 | 18.4 | 18.6 | 17.2 | 15.4 | 17.1 |
| Goods-Producing Sector Employment (000) | 1,508.2 | 1,451.0 | 1,468.3 | 1,476.9 | 1,418.3 | 1,423.9 | 1,296.7 | 1,462.8 |
| Services-Producing Sector Employment (000) | 5,956.1 | 5,619.1 | 5,991.3 | 5,759.5 | 5,828.3 | 5,681.7 | 5,236.8 | 5,810.5 |
| Private Sector Employment (000) | 4,909.6 | 4,659.8 | 4,846.1 | 4,735.8 | 4,687.1 | 4,596.9 | 4,085.5 | 4,698.9 |
| Public Sector Employment (000) | 1,343.0 | 1,312.7 | 1,424.3 | 1,399.9 | 1,406.2 | 1,434.8 | 1,316.4 | 1,440.9 |
| Self-Employment (% of total) | 16.2 | 15.5 | 15.9 | 15.2 | 15.9 | 15.1 | 17.3 | 15.6 |
| Total Unemployment (000) | 471.4 | 881.5 | 379.9 | 677.3 | 482.5 | 712.0 | 936.1 | 719.4 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 5.9 | 11.1 | 4.8 | 8.6 | 6.2 | 9.1 | 12.5 | 9.0 |
| Male Unemployment Rate (%) | 5.6 | 10.6 | 5.1 | 8.3 | 6.3 | 9.3 | 11.8 | 8.9 |
| Female Unemployment Rate (%) | 6.4 | 11.7 | 4.6 | 8.8 | 6.2 | 8.9 | 13.4 | 9.1 |
| Long-Term (27 wks+) (% of total) | 13.7 | 12.5 | 16.3 | 29.2 | 13.7 | 29.1 | 6.8 | 29.6 |
| Average Unemployment in Weeks | 14.0 | 15.6 | 17.6 | 20.1 | 15.1 | 21.8 | 11.8 | 23.2 |
| Youth Unemployment Rate (%) | 12.6 | 26.1 | 10.5 | 19.3 | 12.4 | 19.1 | 29.6 | 20.4 |
| 25-54 y.o. Unemployment rate (%) | 4.9 | 8.5 | 4.1 | 6.9 | 5.5 | 7.7 | 10.1 | 6.9 |
| 55+ y.o. Unemployment rate (%) | 4.2 | 7.7 | 3.5 | 6.6 | 4.7 | 7.5 | 9.1 | 7.7 |
| Average Weekly Wage Rate ($) | 1,045.03 | 1,122.04 | 1,045.21 | 1,109.06 | 1,072.65 | 1,135.33 | 1,157.31 | 1,134.02 |
| Average Hourly Wage Rate ($) | 28.37 | 30.33 | 28.67 | 30.21 | 29.35 | 30.89 | 31.17 | 30.83 |
Employment by Region (000)
| - | 2019 q3 | 2020 q3 | 2019 q4 | 2020 q4 | 2020 q1 | 2021 q1 | 2020 q2 | 2021 q2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Toronto Area (GTA) | 3,601.3 | 3,405.9 | 3,578.2 | 3,504.0 | 3,500.2 | 3,390.9 | 3,117.1 | 3,457.8 |
| Central | 1,706.2 | 1,626.2 | 1,720.0 | 1,667.6 | 1,669.2 | 1,637.5 | 1,503.0 | 1,689.4 |
| Southwestern | 815.7 | 774.7 | 824.8 | 795.2 | 798.4 | 802.4 | 717.7 | 826.5 |
| Eastern | 980.2 | 913.7 | 981.8 | 924.1 | 930.1 | 937.9 | 866.2 | 957.2 |
| Northern | 360.9 | 349.6 | 354.7 | 345.5 | 348.6 | 336.9 | 329.4 | 342.4 |
Unemployment Rate by Region (%)
| - | 2019 q3 | 2020 q3 | 2019 q4 | 2020 q4 | 2020 q1 | 2021 q1 | 2020 q2 | 2021 q2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Toronto Area (GTA) | 6.3 | 13.1 | 5.1 | 10.1 | 6.2 | 10.1 | 13.7 | 10.0 |
| Central | 5.5 | 9.6 | 4.8 | 7.4 | 6.4 | 9.0 | 12.1 | 7.9 |
| Southwestern | 6.3 | 9.1 | 4.7 | 7.5 | 7.1 | 7.8 | 12.4 | 8.6 |
| Eastern | 5.1 | 8.8 | 4.1 | 6.3 | 5.5 | 7.0 | 10.0 | 8.3 |
| Northern | 5.8 | 8.0 | 5.3 | 6.7 | 6.2 | 8.0 | 10.3 | 7.3 |
Total Employment by CMA (000)
Greater Toronto Area
| - | 2019 q3 | 2020 q3 | 2019 q4 | 2020 q4 | 2020 q1 | 2021 q1 | 2020 q2 | 2021 q2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | 3,440.4 | 3,233.7 | 3,428.0 | 3,347.4 | 3,351.8 | 3,236.4 | 2,954.3 | 3,303.6 |
| Oshawa | 209.5 | 208.2 | 204.2 | 210.4 | 208.5 | 203.0 | 195.0 | 204.6 |
Central Ontario
| - | 2019 q3 | 2020 q3 | 2019 q4 | 2020 q4 | 2020 q1 | 2021 q1 | 2020 q2 | 2021 q2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton | 412.1 | 379.1 | 425.6 | 397.4 | 405.2 | 400.7 | 357.9 | 402.8 |
| Kitchener | 325.6 | 302.1 | 325.9 | 313.2 | 325.5 | 310.2 | 283.9 | 319.1 |
| St. Catharines-Niagara | 208.4 | 196.8 | 211.6 | 198.6 | 192.8 | 181.6 | 174.3 | 190.0 |
| Peterborough | 61.7 | 53.1 | 60.3 | 55.5 | 54.6 | 58.6 | 51.3 | 65.9 |
| Brantford | 80.1 | 74.1 | 77.0 | 74.7 | 70.7 | 73.9 | 68.2 | 73.6 |
| Guelph | 90.2 | 87.2 | 87.5 | 86.5 | 85.9 | 87.0 | 80.6 | 90.2 |
| Barrie | 116.9 | 121.8 | 122.5 | 112.2 | 122.5 | 107.1 | 113.9 | 113.0 |
Eastern Ontario
| - | 2019 q3 | 2020 q3 | 2019 q4 | 2020 q4 | 2020 q1 | 2021 q1 | 2020 q2 | 2021 q2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa (Ontario part) | 603.3 | 563.0 | 611.4 | 561.1 | 571.4 | 581.7 | 532.9 | 601.5 |
| Kingston | 84.0 | 80.8 | 81.7 | 83.4 | 80.5 | 82.8 | 75.2 | 79.2 |
| Belleville | 39.3 | 46.8 | 53.1 | 53.1 | 53.5 | 52.6 | 43.9 | 43.2 |
Southwestern Ontario
| - | 2019 q3 | 2020 q3 | 2019 q4 | 2020 q4 | 2020 q1 | 2021 q1 | 2020 q2 | 2021 q2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 254.3 | 261.7 | 265.2 | 264.2 | 265.2 | 273.0 | 237.7 | 281.7 |
| Windsor | 169.5 | 156.6 | 167.9 | 152.8 | 159.8 | 159.4 | 139.5 | 164.5 |
Northern Ontario
| - | 2019 q3 | 2020 q3 | 2019 q4 | 2020 q4 | 2020 q1 | 2021 q1 | 2020 q2 | 2021 q2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sudbury | 86.6 | 81.6 | 86.8 | 81.9 | 84.3 | 79.0 | 76.6 | 82.1 |
| Thunder Bay | 63.6 | 59.9 | 63.5 | 60.5 | 61.0 | 57.8 | 54.7 | 61.3 |
Overview of monthly* labour force characteristics
| - | Feb-20 | Mar-20 | Apr-20 | May-20 | Jun-20 | Jul-20 | Aug-20 | Sep-20 | Oct-20 | Nov-20 | Dec-20 | Jan-21 | Feb-21 | Mar-21 | Apr-21 | May-21 | Jun-21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | 7,491.1 | 7,098.2 | 6,409.9 | 6,356.4 | 6,725.6 | 6,884.5 | 7,006.8 | 7,168.9 | 7,200.6 | 7,238.3 | 7,239.0 | 7,085.5 | 7,185.8 | 7,368.1 | 7,215.4 | 7,183.8 | 7,300.7 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5 | 7.4 | 11.3 | 13.5 | 12.2 | 11.3 | 10.6 | 9.6 | 9.7 | 9.2 | 9.6 | 10.2 | 9.2 | 7.5 | 9.0 | 9.3 | 8.4 |
| Participation rate | 65.1 | 62.9 | 59.2 | 60.2 | 62.8 | 63.5 | 64.1 | 64.7 | 65.1 | 65.0 | 65.3 | 64.2 | 64.4 | 64.7 | 64.4 | 64.3 | 64.7 |
*Seasonally adjusted
Note: All estimates in this appendix are based on Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey.
Footnotes
- footnote[1] Back to paragraph The Roadmap to Reopen is the Province’s three-step plan to safely and gradually lift public health measures based on ongoing progress of provincewide vaccination rates and improvements of key public health and health care indicators. Ontario entered into Step 1 of the Roadmap to Reopen on June 11, 2021.
- footnote[2] Back to paragraph This economic region closely matches the GTA, the main exception being that it excludes the city of Burlington.
- footnote[3] Back to paragraph Real wages are based on nominal wages deflated by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all items. Self-employment is excluded.
- footnote[4] Back to paragraph Year-over-year comparison (between second quarters of 2020 and 2021) is in nominal dollars.
- footnote[5] Back to paragraph Measured as an increase in the all-items Consumer Price Index for Ontario between April and June of 2020 and April and June of 2021.