Quick facts

In September 2020:

  • There were 12.4 million people in Ontario aged 15 years or older
    • 8.0 million (65%) were in the labour force, including those who had worked, were unemployed or did not work at their job, which includes people on temporary layoff because of ongoing COVID-related business closures. The labour force increased by 1.1% (83,500) compared to August
    • 7.2 million (59%) were employed, up 2.4% (167,600 jobs) from August. September’s increase marked the fourth straight month of employment increases
  • Ontario's unemployment rate decreased to 9.5% in September from 10.6% in August and 757,400 people were unemployed, down 10.0% (84,000) from August

Important note:
This report is based on the Labour Force Survey (LFS), a household survey carried out by Statistics Canada. September’s LFS results covers labour market conditions as of the week of September 13 to 19, prior to parts of Ontario moving to a modified version of stage 2 reopening on October 10.

Ontario’s mandatory closure of non-essential businesses and other measures aimed at addressing the impact of COVID-19 took effect on March 24.

Stage 3 of the Ontario government’s plan for reopening the economy came into effect on July 17 on a regional basis, with Toronto, Peel moving to Stage 3 end of July and Windsor-Essex in early August. (See Stage 3 openings).

The types of businesses that were deemed essential and remained open during the COVID-19 economic shutdown and the types of businesses that reopened at the different stages of the Ontario government’s plan for reopening the economy should be considered in the context of information provided in this report.

Employment increased in September

Employment increased by 167,600 (2.4%) in September, the fourth consecutive monthly increase since the COVID-19 economic downturn began. In August, Ontario gained 141,800 jobs compared to July.

Over the February to May period, Ontario employment declined by almost 1.2 million, the largest three-month employment decline on record. With September’s increase and net job gains of 838,000 over the past four months, employment is within 4.2% of its pre-COVID February level and now totals 7,236,600.

The total number of hours worked in Ontario in September (at all jobs) was down by 6.8% compared to September 2019 (data are not seasonally adjusted).

Chart 1 shows employment in Ontario from January 2015 to September 2020.

Line graph for chart 1 shows employment in Ontario from January 2005 to September 2020

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Table 14-10-0287-01, (seasonally adjusted data).

Download data, chart 1

Full-time vs. part-time

Full-time jobs accounted for all of the increase (182,400 or 3.2%) while part-time positions declined by 14,700 or 1.1% in September.

Employment increase by age

Youth employment (those aged 15 to 24) increased by 80,700 (10.0%) in September, after increasing by 16,400 jobs in August. Youth were disproportionally impacted by job losses during the February-May downturn period and are furthest from their pre-COVID February employment level (−12.0%) than other age groups.

Employment for people aged 25 to 54 increased by 78,600 (1.7%) in September, following an increase of 86,200 in August. Employment for those aged 55 and older increased by 8,300 (0.5%) jobs in September and 39,200 in August.

Nationally, employment in Canada continued to increase in September, rising by 378,200 (2.1%) compared to August. September’s increase brought employment to within 720,000 (−3.7%) of its pre-COVID February level and now totals 18,469,900.

Employment increase and decrease by industry

The government’s restrictions on the types of businesses that were deemed essential and other measures aimed at addressing the impact of COVID-19 should be considered in the context of employment change by sector.

Over half (57.0%) of the job losses over the February to May period were concentrated in four sectors — wholesale and retail trade, accommodation and food services, manufacturing and health care and social assistance. These sectors account for 60.2% of the jobs gained since May.

Employment in accommodation and food services was furthest from its pre-COVID February level (−13.8%). Among the other sectors where job losses were concentrated over the February to May period, wholesale and retail trade and health care and social assistance were −6.8% and −3.7% respectively below their pre-COVID February employment levels, while manufacturing was 2.3% above its pre-COVID February level.

Employment in forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas was 8.0% above its pre-COVID February employment level and further in front of the recovery than other sectors. Manufacturing was second, at 2.3% above its pre-COVID February employment level.

Chart 2 shows industries by employment change in Ontario, February 2020 to September 2020.

Bar graph for chart 2

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Table 14-10-0355-02, (seasonally adjusted data).

Download data, chart 2

Unemployment rate decreased to 9.5%

Chart 3 shows unemployment rates, Ontario and Canada, January 2005 to September 2020.

Line graph for Chart 3

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Table 14-10-0287-01, (seasonally adjusted data).

Download data, chart 3

Ontario’s unemployment rate in September was 9.5%, down from 10.6% in August. The rate is still much higher than the rate in February (5.5%).

Canada’s unemployment rate fell to 9.0% in September from 10.2% in August. In July, the national unemployment rate fell below Ontario’s unemployment rate for the first time since April 2019.

Unemployment rate by age

For individuals aged 15 to 24, the unemployment rate declined to 23.0% in September from 27.7% in August and remains the highest among all age groups. The youth unemployment rate was recorded at a record high of 30.0% in May and June.

The unemployment rate for individuals aged 25 to 54 decreased to 7.3% in September from 7.6% in August and decreased to 7.1% from 8.5% for those aged 55 and older.

Employment and unemployment in urban centres

Employment change in urban centres

Chart 4 shows the rate of employment change for Ontario Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) from August 2020 to September 2020.

Bar graph for chart 4

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Table 14-10-0294-01, (seasonally adjusted data three-month moving average to reduce volatility caused by small sample size).

Download data, chart 4

Oshawa (4.0% or 8,300) recorded the highest percentage employment increase in September compared to August, followed by St. Catharines-Niagara (3.5% or 6,400), Thunder Bay (3.2% or 1,800) and Toronto (3.2% or 101,300).

Barrie (−0.8% or −1,000) recorded a decline in employment, while employment in Hamilton was unchanged.

Employment in most urban centres was below February 2020 levels in September, led by Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (−11.2% or −34,800), Thunder Bay (−9.2% or −5,800), Peterborough (−8.7% or −4,900) and Hamilton (−8.6% or −36,800).

Lowest and highest unemployment rates in urban centres

Chart 5 shows Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) with highest and lowest unemployment rates in Canada, September 2020.

Bar graph for chart 5

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, Table 14-10-0294-01, (seasonally adjusted data three-month moving average to reduce volatility caused by small sample size).

Download data, chart 5

Toronto recorded the highest unemployment rate in Canada in September (12.8%). Toronto did not move to Stage 3 of the Ontario government’s plan for reopening the economy until the end of July.

Brantford recorded the lowest unemployment rate in Ontario in September (8.1%), while the City of Quebec had the lowest unemployment rate in Canada (5.0%).

Download data

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey

September 2020 Labour Market Report:

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