Quick facts

In June 2017:

  • there were 11.7 million people in Ontario aged 15 years or older
    • 7.6 million (65%) were either working or actively looking for work
    • 7.1 million (61%) were employed and 81% of them had a full time job.
  • Ontario’s unemployment rate was 6.4% (483,000 people)

Employment declined in June

Employment in Ontario declined by 6,100 jobs in June, following an increase of 19,900 jobs in May.

Chart 1 shows employment in Ontario from January 2012 to June 2017.

Line graph in chart 1.

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Table 282-0087, (seasonally adjusted data).

Download data from Chart 1

Full-time vs. part-time

There were 11,200 full-time job losses that accounted for the decline. Part-time employment increased by 5,200.

Employment increase/decrease by age

Youth employment (those aged 15 to 24) declined by 9,100 jobs in June, after an increase of 24,200 jobs in May.

People aged 25 to 54 had job losses of 4,600, while those 55 and older lost 1,700 jobs.

Employment in Canada rose by 45,300 jobs in June. This follows a gain of 54,500 jobs the previous month.

Unemployment rate declined to 6.4%

Chart 2 shows unemployment rates, Ontario and Canada, January 2012 to June 2017.
Line graph in chart 2.

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Table 282-0087, (seasonally adjusted data).

Download data from Chart 2

Decline in unemployment rate for youth

The unemployment rate for youth (those aged 15 to 24) declined to 13.1% in June from 13.2% in May.

Unemployment rate for adults

The unemployment rate for people aged 25 to 54 declined to 5.2% in June from 5.5% in May. For those 55 and older, the unemployment rate increased to 5.3% from 4.9%.

Ontario’s unemployment rate declined to 6.4% in June from 6.5% in May.

Canada’s unemployment rate decreased to 6.5% in June from 6.6% in May.

Lowest and highest unemployment rates

Chart 3 shows Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) with highest and lowest unemployment rates in Canada, June 2017.

Bar graph for chart 3.

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Table 282-0135, (seasonally adjusted data to reduce volatility caused by small sample size).

Download data from Chart 3

Guelph, in southwestern Ontario, had the lowest unemployment rate (3.8%) for June and had the second lowest rate in Canada.

Peterborough, Ontario had the highest unemployment rate in June at 8.5%, while Calgary had the highest rate nationally at 8.9%.

In the first six months of 2017, employment in Ontario increased by an estimated 85,900 jobs for adults 25 years and older compared to the first half of 2016.

Employment increase and decrease by education level

Chart 4 shows Ontario employment change by highest level of education attained, aged 25 and older, June 2016 and June 2017, year-to-date.

Bar graph for chart 4.

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Table 282-0003, unadjusted data.

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People with a high school level education gained the most jobs, with 94,100 net new jobs.

Those with a university degree had job gains of 35,000, while those with a postsecondary education (PSE) certificate or diploma lost 4,500 jobs.

People with less than high school education had job losses of 7,800 and those with some PSE had job losses of 30,900.

Unemployment rate by education level

The unemployment rate for adults aged 25 and older with PSE credentials was 4.3% over the first six months of 2017, down from 4.8% a year earlier.

The unemployment rate for adults without PSE credentials was 7.1%, down from 7.4% a year earlier.

Employment increase and decrease by occupation

Chart 5 shows Ontario employment change by occupation, between June 2016 and June 2017, year-to-date.

Bar graph for chart 5.

Download data from Chart 5

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Table 282-0041, unadjusted data.

Seven of the ten major occupational groups in Ontario had employment growth over the first six months of 2017 compared to a year earlier.

Learn more about the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system.

These occupations gained the most jobs:

  • Health (63,100)
  • Trades, transport and equipment operators and related (31,400)
  • Sales and service (30,100) occupations

These occupations lost jobs:

  • Education, law and social, community and government services (48,700)
  • Business, finance and administration (26,900)
  • Natural resources, agriculture and related production (7,100) occupations

Long-term unemployment percentage increased

Chart 6 shows Ontario’s long-term unemployed (27 weeks or more) as a percent of total unemployment, June 2009 to June 2017, year-to-date.

Bar graph for chart 6.

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Table 282-0047, unadjusted data.

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Over the first six months of 2017, an estimated 94,400 people were unemployed for 27 weeks or more, or in long-term unemployment. This was down from 99,000 in the first six months of 2016 and well above pre-recessionary levels.

Long-term unemployed individuals accounted for 19.7% of the total number of unemployed people in the first six months of 2017.

Compare this with 19.6% a year earlier and a long-term unemployment rate of 14.1% in the first six months of 2009.

Average time in long-term unemployment

The average time in unemployment decreased to 19.7 weeks over the first six months of 2017 from 19.8 weeks a year earlier.

Download data

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey

June 2017 Labour Market Report:

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