Table 5 
Labour force characteristics by province, age group and gender1, seasonally adjusted (Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia) 

Labour force characteristics by province, age group and gender, seasonally adjusted (Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia)
  January
2026
February
2026
Standard error2 January to February 2026 February 2025 to February 2026 January to February 2026 February 2025 to February 2026
  thousands (except rates)thousands (except rates)thousands (except rates) change in thousands (except rates)change in thousands (except rates) % change% change
Quebec              
Total - gender, 15 years and over              
Population 7,597.3 7,593.2 ... -4.1 50.1 -0.1 0.7
Labour force 4,923.8 4,900.1 15.5 -23.7 1.7 -0.5 0.0
Employment 4,669.7 4,612.4 15.9 -57.3 -20.6 -1.2 -0.4
Full-time employment 3,752.8 3,731.3 20.0 -21.5 -45.5 -0.6 -1.2
Unemployment 254.1 287.7 12.7 33.6 22.3 13.2 8.4
Participation rate 64.8 64.5 0.2 -0.3 -0.4 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.2 5.9 0.3 0.7 0.5 ... ...
Employment rate 61.5 60.7 0.2 -0.8 -0.7 ... ...
Total - gender, 15 to 24 years               
Population 1,009.4 1,008.7 ... -0.7 6.8 -0.1 0.7
Labour force 703.0 708.7 8.3 5.7 41.3 0.8 6.2
Employment 645.1 634.9 7.7 -10.2 23.1 -1.6 3.8
Unemployment 57.9 73.8 6.6 15.9 18.2 27.5 32.7
Participation rate 69.6 70.3 0.8 0.7 3.7 ... ...
Unemployment rate 8.2 10.4 0.9 2.2 2.1 ... ...
Employment rate 63.9 62.9 0.8 -1.0 1.8 ... ...
Men+, 25 years and over              
Population 3,293.0 3,291.2 ... -1.8 22.6 -0.1 0.7
Labour force 2,244.9 2,226.2 8.8 -18.7 -11.9 -0.8 -0.5
Employment 2,146.5 2,110.1 9.8 -36.4 -3.3 -1.7 -0.2
Unemployment 98.4 116.1 8.2 17.7 -8.6 18.0 -6.9
Participation rate 68.2 67.6 0.3 -0.6 -0.9 ... ...
Unemployment rate 4.4 5.2 0.4 0.8 -0.4 ... ...
Employment rate 65.2 64.1 0.3 -1.1 -0.6 ... ...
Women+, 25 years and over              
Population 3,294.8 3,293.4 ... -1.4 20.8 -0.0 0.6
Labour force 1,975.9 1,965.2 9.2 -10.7 -27.7 -0.5 -1.4
Employment 1,878.1 1,867.4 9.3 -10.7 -40.3 -0.6 -2.1
Unemployment 97.8 97.8 6.9 0.0 12.6 0.0 14.8
Participation rate 60.0 59.7 0.3 -0.3 -1.2 ... ...
Unemployment rate 4.9 5.0 0.3 0.1 0.7 ... ...
Employment rate 57.0 56.7 0.3 -0.3 -1.6 ... ...
Ontario              
Total - gender, 15 years and over              
Population 13,751.2 13,754.3 ... 3.1 111.4 0.0 0.8
Labour force 8,852.6 8,883.7 22.7 31.1 -18.1 0.4 -0.2
Employment 8,208.0 8,211.3 21.6 3.3 -34.4 0.0 -0.4
Full-time employment 6,782.3 6,758.8 28.6 -23.5 15.4 -0.3 0.2
Unemployment 644.5 672.4 19.4 27.9 16.3 4.3 2.5
Participation rate 64.4 64.6 0.2 0.2 -0.6 ... ...
Unemployment rate 7.3 7.6 0.2 0.3 0.2 ... ...
Employment rate 59.7 59.7 0.2 0.0 -0.7 ... ...
Total - gender, 15 to 24 years               
Population 2,053.8 2,047.1 ... -6.7 -40.0 -0.3 -1.9
Labour force 1,209.5 1,225.8 13.8 16.3 -33.7 1.3 -2.7
Employment 1,037.0 1,025.8 12.2 -11.2 -39.4 -1.1 -3.7
Unemployment 172.5 200.0 11.5 27.5 5.7 15.9 2.9
Participation rate 58.9 59.9 0.7 1.0 -0.4 ... ...
Unemployment rate 14.3 16.3 0.8 2.0 0.9 ... ...
Employment rate 50.5 50.1 0.6 -0.4 -0.9 ... ...
Men+, 25 years and over              
Population 5,738.4 5,743.1 ... 4.7 71.8 0.1 1.3
Labour force 4,055.3 4,052.2 11.5 -3.1 -10.3 -0.1 -0.3
Employment 3,803.9 3,802.6 11.8 -1.3 -7.8 -0.0 -0.2
Unemployment 251.4 249.6 10.9 -1.8 -2.5 -0.7 -1.0
Participation rate 70.7 70.6 0.2 -0.1 -1.0 ... ...
Unemployment rate 6.2 6.2 0.3 0.0 0.0 ... ...
Employment rate 66.3 66.2 0.2 -0.1 -1.0 ... ...
Women+, 25 years and over              
Population 5,959.0 5,964.1 ... 5.1 79.6 0.1 1.4
Labour force 3,587.7 3,605.7 12.3 18.0 26.0 0.5 0.7
Employment 3,367.1 3,382.9 11.7 15.8 12.8 0.5 0.4
Unemployment 220.6 222.8 10.5 2.2 13.2 1.0 6.3
Participation rate 60.2 60.5 0.2 0.3 -0.3 ... ...
Unemployment rate 6.1 6.2 0.3 0.1 0.3 ... ...
Employment rate 56.5 56.7 0.2 0.2 -0.6 ... ...
Manitoba              
Total - gender, 15 years and over              
Population 1,182.5 1,183.6 ... 1.1 16.7 0.1 1.4
Labour force 794.0 785.2 3.5 -8.8 4.6 -1.1 0.6
Employment 744.1 740.1 3.5 -4.0 7.1 -0.5 1.0
Full-time employment 615.0 607.5 4.6 -7.5 -0.4 -1.2 -0.1
Unemployment 49.9 45.1 2.8 -4.8 -2.5 -9.6 -5.3
Participation rate 67.1 66.3 0.3 -0.8 -0.6 ... ...
Unemployment rate 6.3 5.7 0.4 -0.6 -0.4 ... ...
Employment rate 62.9 62.5 0.3 -0.4 -0.3 ... ...
Total - gender, 15 to 24 years               
Population 188.4 188.0 ... -0.4 -1.9 -0.2 -1.0
Labour force 126.5 122.5 2.0 -4.0 -4.5 -3.2 -3.5
Employment 108.8 107.3 1.9 -1.5 -3.9 -1.4 -3.5
Unemployment 17.8 15.2 1.7 -2.6 -0.6 -14.6 -3.8
Participation rate 67.1 65.2 1.1 -1.9 -1.7 ... ...
Unemployment rate 14.1 12.4 1.3 -1.7 0.0 ... ...
Employment rate 57.7 57.1 1.0 -0.6 -1.5 ... ...
Men+, 25 years and over              
Population 496.6 497.3 ... 0.7 9.4 0.1 1.9
Labour force 358.5 358.7 1.8 0.2 4.5 0.1 1.3
Employment 341.7 341.6 1.9 -0.1 5.6 -0.0 1.7
Unemployment 16.8 17.0 1.6 0.2 -1.2 1.2 -6.6
Participation rate 72.2 72.1 0.4 -0.1 -0.5 ... ...
Unemployment rate 4.7 4.7 0.4 0.0 -0.4 ... ...
Employment rate 68.8 68.7 0.4 -0.1 -0.2 ... ...
Women+, 25 years and over              
Population 497.6 498.4 ... 0.8 9.3 0.2 1.9
Labour force 309.0 303.9 2.0 -5.1 4.5 -1.7 1.5
Employment 293.7 291.1 2.1 -2.6 5.3 -0.9 1.9
Unemployment 15.3 12.8 1.6 -2.5 -0.8 -16.3 -5.9
Participation rate 62.1 61.0 0.4 -1.1 -0.2 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.0 4.2 0.5 -0.8 -0.3 ... ...
Employment rate 59.0 58.4 0.4 -0.6 0.0 ... ...
Saskatchewan              
Total - gender, 15 years and over              
Population 974.3 975.5 ... 1.2 15.7 0.1 1.6
Labour force 658.6 654.7 2.9 -3.9 11.6 -0.6 1.8
Employment 623.6 618.1 2.9 -5.5 9.2 -0.9 1.5
Full-time employment 519.9 516.0 4.0 -3.9 16.1 -0.8 3.2
Unemployment 35.0 36.7 2.4 1.7 2.6 4.9 7.6
Participation rate 67.6 67.1 0.3 -0.5 0.1 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.3 5.6 0.4 0.3 0.3 ... ...
Employment rate 64.0 63.4 0.3 -0.6 0.0 ... ...
Total - gender, 15 to 24 years               
Population 152.7 153.1 ... 0.4 4.0 0.3 2.7
Labour force 100.3 98.7 1.7 -1.6 4.9 -1.6 5.2
Employment 89.1 87.1 1.5 -2.0 5.7 -2.2 7.0
Unemployment 11.2 11.7 1.3 0.5 -0.6 4.5 -4.9
Participation rate 65.7 64.5 1.1 -1.2 1.6 ... ...
Unemployment rate 11.2 11.9 1.3 0.7 -1.2 ... ...
Employment rate 58.3 56.9 1.0 -1.4 2.3 ... ...
Men+, 25 years and over              
Population 409.3 409.8 ... 0.5 6.1 0.1 1.5
Labour force 297.9 298.9 1.6 1.0 5.9 0.3 2.0
Employment 284.9 285.1 1.7 0.2 4.5 0.1 1.6
Unemployment 13.1 13.8 1.5 0.7 1.3 5.3 10.4
Participation rate 72.8 72.9 0.4 0.1 0.3 ... ...
Unemployment rate 4.4 4.6 0.5 0.2 0.3 ... ...
Employment rate 69.6 69.6 0.4 0.0 0.1 ... ...
Women+, 25 years and over              
Population 412.3 412.7 ... 0.4 5.8 0.1 1.4
Labour force 260.4 257.1 1.6 -3.3 0.8 -1.3 0.3
Employment 249.7 245.9 1.6 -3.8 -1.0 -1.5 -0.4
Unemployment 10.7 11.2 1.2 0.5 1.9 4.7 20.4
Participation rate 63.2 62.3 0.4 -0.9 -0.7 ... ...
Unemployment rate 4.1 4.4 0.4 0.3 0.8 ... ...
Employment rate 60.6 59.6 0.4 -1.0 -1.1 ... ...
Alberta              
Total - gender, 15 years and over              
Population 4,107.5 4,114.1 ... 6.6 102.5 0.2 2.6
Labour force 2,833.3 2,826.9 12.1 -6.4 74.9 -0.2 2.7
Employment 2,651.0 2,649.2 12.4 -1.8 85.0 -0.1 3.3
Full-time employment 2,197.2 2,179.9 17.0 -17.3 70.0 -0.8 3.3
Unemployment 182.3 177.8 11.2 -4.5 -10.0 -2.5 -5.3
Participation rate 69.0 68.7 0.3 -0.3 0.1 ... ...
Unemployment rate 6.4 6.3 0.4 -0.1 -0.5 ... ...
Employment rate 64.5 64.4 0.3 -0.1 0.5 ... ...
Total - gender, 15 to 24 years               
Population 626.1 626.9 ... 0.8 16.9 0.1 2.8
Labour force 393.7 383.7 7.2 -10.0 -5.0 -2.5 -1.3
Employment 337.9 327.6 6.5 -10.3 -8.8 -3.0 -2.6
Unemployment 55.7 56.2 6.3 0.5 3.9 0.9 7.5
Participation rate 62.9 61.2 1.2 -1.7 -2.5 ... ...
Unemployment rate 14.1 14.6 1.4 0.5 1.1 ... ...
Employment rate 54.0 52.3 1.0 -1.7 -2.8 ... ...
Men+, 25 years and over              
Population 1,731.9 1,734.7 ... 2.8 40.8 0.2 2.4
Labour force 1,315.3 1,318.3 6.5 3.0 39.5 0.2 3.1
Employment 1,249.2 1,256.9 7.1 7.7 48.7 0.6 4.0
Unemployment 66.1 61.4 6.5 -4.7 -9.3 -7.1 -13.2
Participation rate 75.9 76.0 0.4 0.1 0.5 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.0 4.7 0.5 -0.3 -0.8 ... ...
Employment rate 72.1 72.5 0.4 0.4 1.2 ... ...
Women+, 25 years and over              
Population 1,749.5 1,752.5 ... 3.0 44.7 0.2 2.6
Labour force 1,124.3 1,124.9 7.4 0.6 40.4 0.1 3.7
Employment 1,063.8 1,064.7 7.6 0.9 45.1 0.1 4.4
Unemployment 60.4 60.2 6.4 -0.2 -4.7 -0.3 -7.2
Participation rate 64.3 64.2 0.5 -0.1 0.7 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.4 5.4 0.6 0.0 -0.6 ... ...
Employment rate 60.8 60.8 0.5 0.0 1.1 ... ...
British Columbia              
Total - gender, 15 years and over              
Population 4,844.0 4,841.7 ... -2.3 28.9 -0.0 0.6
Labour force 3,138.1 3,118.1 11.6 -20.0 -9.2 -0.6 -0.3
Employment 2,947.6 2,927.4 11.5 -20.2 -13.0 -0.7 -0.4
Full-time employment 2,376.4 2,343.9 15.4 -32.5 -3.6 -1.4 -0.2
Unemployment 190.4 190.7 10.0 0.3 3.8 0.2 2.0
Participation rate 64.8 64.4 0.2 -0.4 -0.6 ... ...
Unemployment rate 6.1 6.1 0.3 0.0 0.1 ... ...
Employment rate 60.9 60.5 0.2 -0.4 -0.6 ... ...
Total - gender, 15 to 24 years               
Population 667.0 665.0 ... -2.0 -9.5 -0.3 -1.4
Labour force 398.5 384.9 6.8 -13.6 -17.8 -3.4 -4.4
Employment 343.5 331.8 6.4 -11.7 -18.5 -3.4 -5.3
Unemployment 54.9 53.2 5.8 -1.7 0.8 -3.1 1.5
Participation rate 59.7 57.9 1.0 -1.8 -1.8 ... ...
Unemployment rate 13.8 13.8 1.3 0.0 0.8 ... ...
Employment rate 51.5 49.9 0.9 -1.6 -2.0 ... ...
Men+, 25 years and over              
Population 2,038.9 2,038.4 ... -0.5 14.2 -0.0 0.7
Labour force 1,422.7 1,416.0 5.8 -6.7 -21.4 -0.5 -1.5
Employment 1,353.3 1,345.8 6.2 -7.5 -22.3 -0.6 -1.6
Unemployment 69.5 70.2 5.4 0.7 0.9 1.0 1.3
Participation rate 69.8 69.5 0.3 -0.3 -1.5 ... ...
Unemployment rate 4.9 5.0 0.4 0.1 0.2 ... ...
Employment rate 66.4 66.0 0.3 -0.4 -1.6 ... ...
Women+, 25 years and over              
Population 2,138.0 2,138.3 ... 0.3 24.2 0.0 1.1
Labour force 1,316.9 1,317.2 6.8 0.3 30.0 0.0 2.3
Employment 1,250.8 1,249.8 6.9 -1.0 27.8 -0.1 2.3
Unemployment 66.0 67.4 5.5 1.4 2.2 2.1 3.4
Participation rate 61.6 61.6 0.3 0.0 0.7 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.0 5.1 0.4 0.1 0.0 ... ...
Employment rate 58.5 58.4 0.3 -0.1 0.6 ... ...
...
not applicable
Note(s):
The sum of individual categories may not always add up to the total as a result of rounding.
Source(s):
Date modified: