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Statistics Canada - Government of Canada


Labour force – Social indicators

a. Labour force, 1976, 1981, 1989, 1999 to 2005
  1976 1981 1989 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Labour force, in thousands
10,491.3
12,235.8
14,057.0
15,588.3
15,847.0
16,109.8
16,579.3
16,958.5
17,182.3
17,343.0
Total employed, in thousands
9,747.5
11,305.0
12,996.2
14,406.7
14,764.2
14,946.2
15,310.4
15,672.3
15,947.0
16,170.0
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Statistics Division.
b. Labour force participation rate, in percent, 1976, 1981, 1989, 1999 to 2005
  1976 1981 1989 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Men - Age 15 and over
77.7
78.4
76.8
72.4
72.4
72.3
73.0
73.4
73.2
72.8
15 to 24 years
68.9
73.6
73.8
65.3
65.9
66.1
67.8
68.3
67.8
66.1
25 to 54 years
94.5
94.6
93.5
91.1
91.0
91.1
91.5
91.6
91.6
91.5
55 years and over
47.2
44.3
37.4
33.2
33.3
33.6
35.6
37.6
38.4
39.1
Women - Age 15 and over
45.7
52.0
58.1
58.9
59.4
59.7
60.9
61.9
62.0
61.8
15 to 24 years
58.2
64.8
68.5
61.5
62.8
63.2
65.3
66.5
66.2
65.8
25 to 54 years
52.3
62.6
74.4
78.2
78.5
79.1
80.4
81.1
81.5
81.1
55 years and over
17.7
17.6
16.8
18.1
19.0
19.4
20.9
23.2
24.1
24.9
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Statistics Division.
c. Unemployment rate, in percent, 1976, 1981, 1989, 1999 to 2005
  1976 1981 1989 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
15 years and over
7.1
7.6
7.5
7.6
6.8
7.2
7.7
7.6
7.2
6.8
15 to 24 years
12.4
12.8
10.9
14.0
12.7
12.9
13.6
13.6
13.4
12.4
25 to 54 years
5.3
6.0
6.8
6.4
5.8
6.2
6.6
6.5
6.0
5.8
55 years and over
3.9
4.2
5.7
5.5
5.1
5.5
5.8
5.9
5.6
5.1
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Statistics Division.
d. Percentage of workers in service-producing sector1, 1976, 1981, 1989, 1999 to 2005
  1976 1981 1989 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Total
65.4
67.3
70.6
74.0
74.1
74.7
74.7
75.0
75.0
75.2
Men
55.8
56.8
59.6
63.4
63.3
63.9
63.8
64.1
64.0
64.1
Women
81.8
82.7
84.6
86.5
86.8
87.3
87.1
87.4
87.4
87.8
15 to 24 years
69.4
71.0
76.5
80.2
80.2
81.5
81.4
81.8
81.4
81.6
25 to 54 years
63.9
66.3
69.5
73.3
73.2
73.5
73.5
73.5
73.6
74.0
55 years and over
64.6
64.2
66.6
70.3
71.9
73.2
73.1
74.5
74.9
74.4
1. Service-producing sector includes wholesale and retail trade; transportation and distribution; finance, insurance, real estate and leasing; professional, scientific and technical services; business services; food, accommodation and other services; information, cultural and recreation services; education, health care and social services; and public administration.
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Statistics Division.
e. Percentage of workers employed part-time, 1976, 1981, 1989, 1999 to 2005
  1976 1981 1989 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Total
12.5
14.8
16.6
18.4
18.1
18.1
18.8
18.9
18.5
18.3
Men
5.9
7.2
8.7
10.3
10.3
10.5
11.0
11.1
10.9
10.8
Women
23.6
26.1
26.7
27.9
27.2
27.0
27.7
27.9
27.2
26.8
15 to 24 years
21.1
24.9
34.5
44.1
43.6
43.4
44.9
45.1
44.7
44.6
25 to 54 years
8.8
10.7
11.3
12.6
12.2
12.3
12.5
12.5
12.1
12.0
55 years and over
13.3
15.3
20.0
21.9
21.9
21.1
22.6
22.9
22.5
21.9
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Statistics Division.
f. Percentage of workers self-employed, 1976, 1981, 1989, 1999 to 2005
  1976 1981 1989 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Total
12.2
12.6
13.9
16.9
16.1
15.2
15.1
15.3
15.4
15.5
Men
14.2
15.1
17.0
20.3
19.3
18.7
18.3
18.8
19.0
19.1
Women
8.6
8.9
9.8
12.9
12.3
11.2
11.4
11.3
11.2
11.4
15 to 24 years
5.7
5.7
5.5
6.5
5.1
4.0
4.3
4.5
4.1
4.0
25 to 54 years
13.3
13.9
14.4
16.7
16.2
15.4
15.1
15.2
15.2
15.4
55 years and over
20.3
20.8
26.8
34.0
31.8
30.1
29.8
29.7
29.5
28.8
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Statistics Division.
g. Percentage of employees in temporary jobs1, 1999 to 2005
  1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Total
12.0
12.5
12.8
12.9
12.4
12.8
13.2
Men
11.5
11.8
12.0
12.3
12.0
12.0
12.5
Women
12.5
13.2
13.7
13.6
12.9
13.5
13.9
15 to 24 years
28.1
29.1
30.1
29.6
28.3
29.3
29.9
25 to 54 years
8.6
8.8
8.9
9.2
8.8
9.0
9.3
55 years and over
9.5
10.6
10.7
10.8
10.9
10.6
11.7
1. Temporary jobs include seasonal jobs, term or contract jobs, casual jobs and other temporary jobs of an unspecified nature.
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Statistics Division.
h. Percentage of employees unionized1, 1999 to 2005
  1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Total
32.3
32.4
32.3
32.2
32.2
31.7
32.0
Men
33.2
33.2
33.0
32.4
32.7
31.7
32.1
Women
31.3
31.4
31.6
32.0
31.8
31.7
32.0
15 to 24 years
13.5
14.3
15.2
15.4
15.4
14.8
15.8
25 to 54 years
36.1
36.1
35.8
35.8
35.5
35.0
35.1
55 years and over
36.5
36.8
37.1
36.1
38.0
37.2
37.5
1. Includes employees who are members of a union or who are not union members but are covered by a collective agreement or a union contract.
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Statistics Division.