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 gender1, seasonally adjusted (Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia)
  April
2026
May
2026
Standard error2 April to May 2026 May 2025 to May 2026 April to May 2026 May 2025 to May 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 7,586.0 7,583.3 ... -2.7 11.3 -0.0 0.1
Labour force 4,882.3 4,864.5 15.5 -17.8 -52.3 -0.4 -1.1
Employment 4,579.0 4,592.2 15.9 13.2 -37.1 0.3 -0.8
Full-time employment 3,655.8 3,707.6 20.0 51.8 -89.8 1.4 -2.4
Unemployment 303.3 272.3 12.7 -31.0 -15.1 -10.2 -5.3
Participation rate 64.4 64.1 0.2 -0.3 -0.8 ... ...
Unemployment rate 6.2 5.6 0.3 -0.6 -0.2 ... ...
Employment rate 60.4 60.6 0.2 0.2 -0.5 ... ...
Total - gender, 15 to 24 years               
Population 1,006.7 1,005.7 ... -1.0 -0.9 -0.1 -0.1
Labour force 701.9 691.5 8.3 -10.4 7.8 -1.5 1.1
Employment 638.9 635.4 7.7 -3.5 20.9 -0.5 3.4
Unemployment 63.0 56.1 6.6 -6.9 -13.1 -11.0 -18.9
Participation rate 69.7 68.8 0.8 -0.9 0.9 ... ...
Unemployment rate 9.0 8.1 0.9 -0.9 -2.0 ... ...
Employment rate 63.5 63.2 0.8 -0.3 2.2 ... ...
Men+, 25 years and over              
Population 3,288.0 3,286.8 ... -1.2 5.2 -0.0 0.2
Labour force 2,212.1 2,213.1 8.8 1.0 -29.7 0.0 -1.3
Employment 2,081.3 2,089.0 9.8 7.7 -24.6 0.4 -1.2
Unemployment 130.7 124.2 8.2 -6.5 -5.0 -5.0 -3.9
Participation rate 67.3 67.3 0.3 0.0 -1.0 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.9 5.6 0.4 -0.3 -0.2 ... ...
Employment rate 63.3 63.6 0.3 0.3 -0.8 ... ...
Women+, 25 years and over              
Population 3,291.3 3,290.8 ... -0.5 7.0 -0.0 0.2
Labour force 1,968.3 1,959.8 9.2 -8.5 -30.5 -0.4 -1.5
Employment 1,858.7 1,867.8 9.3 9.1 -33.4 0.5 -1.8
Unemployment 109.6 92.1 6.9 -17.5 3.0 -16.0 3.4
Participation rate 59.8 59.6 0.3 -0.2 -1.0 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.6 4.7 0.3 -0.9 0.2 ... ...
Employment rate 56.5 56.8 0.3 0.3 -1.1 ... ...
Ontario              
Total - gender, 15 years and over              
Population 13,760.8 13,766.3 ... 5.5 73.7 0.0 0.5
Labour force 8,920.8 8,910.4 22.7 -10.4 10.2 -0.1 0.1
Employment 8,247.9 8,289.7 21.6 41.8 91.6 0.5 1.1
Full-time employment 6,821.6 6,862.1 28.6 40.5 153.3 0.6 2.3
Unemployment 672.9 620.7 19.4 -52.2 -81.4 -7.8 -11.6
Participation rate 64.8 64.7 0.2 -0.1 -0.3 ... ...
Unemployment rate 7.5 7.0 0.2 -0.5 -0.9 ... ...
Employment rate 59.9 60.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 ... ...
Total - gender, 15 to 24 years               
Population 2,036.5 2,031.7 ... -4.8 -54.3 -0.2 -2.6
Labour force 1,227.3 1,220.1 13.8 -7.2 -33.1 -0.6 -2.6
Employment 1,010.4 1,033.8 12.2 23.4 -25.9 2.3 -2.4
Unemployment 216.9 186.3 11.5 -30.6 -7.1 -14.1 -3.7
Participation rate 60.3 60.1 0.7 -0.2 0.0 ... ...
Unemployment rate 17.7 15.3 0.8 -2.4 -0.1 ... ...
Employment rate 49.6 50.9 0.6 1.3 0.1 ... ...
Men+, 25 years and over              
Population 5,751.4 5,756.5 ... 5.1 61.2 0.1 1.1
Labour force 4,075.9 4,072.0 11.5 -3.9 28.9 -0.1 0.7
Employment 3,840.6 3,845.5 11.8 4.9 79.1 0.1 2.1
Unemployment 235.3 226.5 10.9 -8.8 -50.2 -3.7 -18.1
Participation rate 70.9 70.7 0.2 -0.2 -0.3 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.8 5.6 0.3 -0.2 -1.2 ... ...
Employment rate 66.8 66.8 0.2 0.0 0.7 ... ...
Women+, 25 years and over              
Population 5,972.9 5,978.1 ... 5.2 66.8 0.1 1.1
Labour force 3,617.5 3,618.3 12.3 0.8 14.4 0.0 0.4
Employment 3,396.8 3,410.4 11.7 13.6 38.4 0.4 1.1
Unemployment 220.7 207.9 10.5 -12.8 -24.0 -5.8 -10.3
Participation rate 60.6 60.5 0.2 -0.1 -0.5 ... ...
Unemployment rate 6.1 5.7 0.3 -0.4 -0.7 ... ...
Employment rate 56.9 57.0 0.2 0.1 0.0 ... ...
Manitoba              
Total - gender, 15 years and over              
Population 1,186.6 1,187.6 ... 1.0 15.3 0.1 1.3
Labour force 788.9 792.9 3.5 4.0 16.7 0.5 2.2
Employment 749.3 749.6 3.5 0.3 18.8 0.0 2.6
Full-time employment 609.8 615.3 4.6 5.5 5.9 0.9 1.0
Unemployment 39.7 43.4 2.8 3.7 -2.0 9.3 -4.4
Participation rate 66.5 66.8 0.3 0.3 0.6 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.0 5.5 0.4 0.5 -0.3 ... ...
Employment rate 63.1 63.1 0.3 0.0 0.8 ... ...
Total - gender, 15 to 24 years               
Population 187.7 187.5 ... -0.2 -2.1 -0.1 -1.1
Labour force 124.3 124.4 2.0 0.1 -0.1 0.1 -0.1
Employment 111.5 110.1 1.9 -1.4 0.6 -1.3 0.5
Unemployment 12.8 14.2 1.7 1.4 -0.8 10.9 -5.3
Participation rate 66.2 66.3 1.1 0.1 0.6 ... ...
Unemployment rate 10.3 11.4 1.3 1.1 -0.6 ... ...
Employment rate 59.4 58.7 1.0 -0.7 0.9 ... ...
Men+, 25 years and over              
Population 498.8 499.4 ... 0.6 8.6 0.1 1.8
Labour force 360.8 361.9 1.8 1.1 8.8 0.3 2.5
Employment 346.4 345.9 1.9 -0.5 8.0 -0.1 2.4
Unemployment 14.4 16.0 1.6 1.6 0.8 11.1 5.3
Participation rate 72.3 72.5 0.4 0.2 0.6 ... ...
Unemployment rate 4.0 4.4 0.4 0.4 0.1 ... ...
Employment rate 69.4 69.3 0.4 -0.1 0.5 ... ...
Women+, 25 years and over              
Population 500.1 500.7 ... 0.6 8.9 0.1 1.8
Labour force 303.9 306.7 2.0 2.8 8.1 0.9 2.7
Employment 291.3 293.6 2.1 2.3 10.2 0.8 3.6
Unemployment 12.5 13.1 1.6 0.6 -2.1 4.8 -13.8
Participation rate 60.8 61.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 ... ...
Unemployment rate 4.1 4.3 0.5 0.2 -0.8 ... ...
Employment rate 58.2 58.6 0.4 0.4 1.0 ... ...
Saskatchewan              
Total - gender, 15 years and over              
Population 978.6 980.3 ... 1.7 16.2 0.2 1.7
Labour force 656.7 654.7 2.9 -2.0 9.4 -0.3 1.5
Employment 619.9 613.8 2.9 -6.1 -4.1 -1.0 -0.7
Full-time employment 507.0 507.0 4.0 0.0 -2.7 0.0 -0.5
Unemployment 36.9 40.8 2.4 3.9 13.3 10.6 48.4
Participation rate 67.1 66.8 0.3 -0.3 -0.1 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.6 6.2 0.4 0.6 1.9 ... ...
Employment rate 63.3 62.6 0.3 -0.7 -1.5 ... ...
Total - gender, 15 to 24 years               
Population 153.7 154.1 ... 0.4 3.9 0.3 2.6
Labour force 98.7 95.2 1.7 -3.5 3.5 -3.5 3.8
Employment 86.9 82.6 1.5 -4.3 -2.1 -4.9 -2.5
Unemployment 11.8 12.6 1.3 0.8 5.6 6.8 80.0
Participation rate 64.2 61.8 1.1 -2.4 0.7 ... ...
Unemployment rate 12.0 13.2 1.3 1.2 5.6 ... ...
Employment rate 56.5 53.6 1.0 -2.9 -2.8 ... ...
Men+, 25 years and over              
Population 411.1 411.7 ... 0.6 6.4 0.1 1.6
Labour force 299.7 299.8 1.6 0.1 5.1 0.0 1.7
Employment 284.7 284.1 1.7 -0.6 1.8 -0.2 0.6
Unemployment 14.9 15.7 1.5 0.8 3.3 5.4 26.6
Participation rate 72.9 72.8 0.4 -0.1 0.1 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.0 5.2 0.5 0.2 1.0 ... ...
Employment rate 69.3 69.0 0.4 -0.3 -0.7 ... ...
Women+, 25 years and over              
Population 413.8 414.4 ... 0.6 5.8 0.1 1.4
Labour force 258.4 259.6 1.6 1.2 0.6 0.5 0.2
Employment 248.2 247.1 1.6 -1.1 -3.8 -0.4 -1.5
Unemployment 10.2 12.5 1.2 2.3 4.4 22.5 54.3
Participation rate 62.4 62.6 0.4 0.2 -0.8 ... ...
Unemployment rate 3.9 4.8 0.4 0.9 1.7 ... ...
Employment rate 60.0 59.6 0.4 -0.4 -1.8 ... ...
Alberta              
Total - gender, 15 years and over              
Population 4,127.4 4,134.7 ... 7.3 93.5 0.2 2.3
Labour force 2,856.5 2,858.3 12.1 1.8 87.7 0.1 3.2
Employment 2,656.6 2,670.5 12.4 13.9 104.4 0.5 4.1
Full-time employment 2,190.0 2,215.7 17.0 25.7 118.2 1.2 5.6
Unemployment 199.9 187.8 11.2 -12.1 -16.7 -6.1 -8.2
Participation rate 69.2 69.1 0.3 -0.1 0.5 ... ...
Unemployment rate 7.0 6.6 0.4 -0.4 -0.8 ... ...
Employment rate 64.4 64.6 0.3 0.2 1.1 ... ...
Total - gender, 15 to 24 years               
Population 628.8 629.8 ... 1.0 14.6 0.2 2.4
Labour force 394.0 394.4 7.2 0.4 -1.9 0.1 -0.5
Employment 336.0 335.2 6.5 -0.8 6.4 -0.2 1.9
Unemployment 58.0 59.2 6.3 1.2 -8.2 2.1 -12.2
Participation rate 62.7 62.6 1.2 -0.1 -1.8 ... ...
Unemployment rate 14.7 15.0 1.4 0.3 -2.0 ... ...
Employment rate 53.4 53.2 1.0 -0.2 -0.2 ... ...
Men+, 25 years and over              
Population 1,740.2 1,743.2 ... 3.0 37.9 0.2 2.2
Labour force 1,328.0 1,324.2 6.5 -3.8 35.9 -0.3 2.8
Employment 1,247.4 1,258.2 7.1 10.8 37.3 0.9 3.1
Unemployment 80.6 66.1 6.5 -14.5 -1.4 -18.0 -2.1
Participation rate 76.3 76.0 0.4 -0.3 0.5 ... ...
Unemployment rate 6.1 5.0 0.5 -1.1 -0.2 ... ...
Employment rate 71.7 72.2 0.4 0.5 0.6 ... ...
Women+, 25 years and over              
Population 1,758.5 1,761.7 ... 3.2 41.0 0.2 2.4
Labour force 1,134.5 1,139.7 7.4 5.2 53.8 0.5 5.0
Employment 1,073.2 1,077.1 7.6 3.9 60.7 0.4 6.0
Unemployment 61.3 62.6 6.4 1.3 -7.0 2.1 -10.1
Participation rate 64.5 64.7 0.5 0.2 1.6 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.4 5.5 0.6 0.1 -0.9 ... ...
Employment rate 61.0 61.1 0.5 0.1 2.0 ... ...
British Columbia              
Total - gender, 15 years and over              
Population 4,838.5 4,838.0 ... -0.5 6.1 -0.0 0.1
Labour force 3,114.6 3,141.3 11.6 26.7 -22.1 0.9 -0.7
Employment 2,903.9 2,929.1 11.5 25.2 -29.6 0.9 -1.0
Full-time employment 2,308.5 2,342.1 15.4 33.6 -38.7 1.5 -1.6
Unemployment 210.7 212.2 10.0 1.5 7.5 0.7 3.7
Participation rate 64.4 64.9 0.2 0.5 -0.6 ... ...
Unemployment rate 6.8 6.8 0.3 0.0 0.3 ... ...
Employment rate 60.0 60.5 0.2 0.5 -0.7 ... ...
Total - gender, 15 to 24 years               
Population 661.3 659.7 ... -1.6 -15.6 -0.2 -2.3
Labour force 387.2 400.0 6.8 12.8 -29.1 3.3 -6.8
Employment 331.6 338.8 6.4 7.2 -18.9 2.2 -5.3
Unemployment 55.6 61.2 5.8 5.6 -10.2 10.1 -14.3
Participation rate 58.6 60.6 1.0 2.0 -2.9 ... ...
Unemployment rate 14.4 15.3 1.3 0.9 -1.3 ... ...
Employment rate 50.1 51.4 0.9 1.3 -1.6 ... ...
Men+, 25 years and over              
Population 2,037.9 2,038.1 ... 0.2 6.2 0.0 0.3
Labour force 1,417.4 1,424.0 5.8 6.6 -17.4 0.5 -1.2
Employment 1,340.9 1,343.5 6.2 2.6 -22.6 0.2 -1.7
Unemployment 76.5 80.5 5.4 4.0 5.2 5.2 6.9
Participation rate 69.6 69.9 0.3 0.3 -1.0 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.4 5.7 0.4 0.3 0.5 ... ...
Employment rate 65.8 65.9 0.3 0.1 -1.3 ... ...
Women+, 25 years and over              
Population 2,139.3 2,140.2 ... 0.9 15.5 0.0 0.7
Labour force 1,310.0 1,317.3 6.8 7.3 24.4 0.6 1.9
Employment 1,231.3 1,246.8 6.9 15.5 11.9 1.3 1.0
Unemployment 78.6 70.4 5.5 -8.2 12.4 -10.4 21.4
Participation rate 61.2 61.6 0.3 0.4 0.7 ... ...
Unemployment rate 6.0 5.3 0.4 -0.7 0.8 ... ...
Employment rate 57.6 58.3 0.3 0.7 0.2 ... ...
...
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: