The Business and Community Newsletter – February 2023

Feature article

Black History Month

The theme of this year's Black History Month is 'Ours to Tell', an opportunity to share stories of success, sacrifice, and triumph. Please join in celebrating the generations of Black Canadians who have enriched our communities with their cultures, joys and ideas, despite the racism and oppression they have endured and continue to endure.

Learn more this month with:

• By the numbers, featuring updated data on Black Canadians from the 2021 Census
• Statistics Canada's Gender, Diversity and Inclusion Statistics Hub, a central location for data related to racialized groups, children and youth, and other diverse population groups
• The Daily, with new releases on the Black Canadian community: Mortality inequalities of Black adults in Canada (February 15) and Business owners in Canada's Black population (February 22)
• StatCan's Eh Sayers Podcast "Created Equal", exploring the role data can play to make Canada a more equal society for all
• Black History Month: Honouring and Celebrating Black People in Canada, examining changes in the socioeconomic situation of Canada's Black population, as well as their many important contributions to Canadian history and the continued growth of this country

Labour Force Survey January 2023

Employment increased by 150,000 (+0.8%) in January, and the unemployment rate held steady at 5.0%.

Employment gains were driven primarily by people aged 25 to 54 (+100,000; +0.8%), split evenly between women and men in this group. Employment also increased among people aged 55 and older (+43,000, +1.0%), while it was little changed among youth aged 15 to 24.

The largest employment increases were in Ontario (+63,000; +0.8%), Quebec (+47,000; +1.1%) and Alberta (+21,000; +0.9%). Employment declined in Newfoundland and Labrador (-2,300; -1.0%).

There were gains across several industries, led by wholesale and retail trade (+59,000; +2.0%), health care and social assistance (+40,000; +1.5%) and educational services (+18,000; +1.3%). At the same time, employment declined in transportation and warehousing (-17,000; -1.7%).

The number of employees grew in both the private (+115,000; +0.9%) and public (+32,000; +0.8%) sectors. The number of self-employed workers was little changed.

Total hours worked rose 0.8% in January and were up 5.6% on a year-over-year basis. The proportion of employees absent due to illness or disability was 7.1% during the reference week. This was below the record-high 10.0% observed in January 2022 and on par with a typical January (not seasonally adjusted).

Average hourly wages rose 4.5% (+$1.42 to $33.01) on a year-over-year basis in January, down from 4.8% (+$1.49) in December (not seasonally adjusted).

Payroll employment, earnings and hours, and job vacancies, November 2022

Payroll employment continues to increase in professional, scientific and technical services

Nationally, seven out of nine industries within the sector recorded payroll employment increases in November, led by computer systems design and related services (+1,800; +0.5%), and architectural, engineering and related services (+1,700; +0.8%). Payroll employment in professional, scientific and technical services has been on an upward trend since June 2020, largely driven by steady monthly gains in computer systems design and related services. As of November 2022, payroll employment in this industry was up 118,400 (+44.9%) compared with June 2020. This increase accounted for nearly 42% of the overall growth in professional, scientific and technical services over the period.

Payroll employment in construction increases for the third consecutive month

Nationally, the payroll employment increase in construction was led by utility system construction (+1,700; +2.3%), other specialty trade contractors (+1,100; 0.8%), and residential building construction (+1,000; +0.6%).

Payroll employment in retail trade decreases in November

Nationally, 11 out of 12 subsectors within retail trade recorded monthly payroll employment decreases, led by general merchandise stores (-5,100; -1.9%), non-store retailers (-2,500; -4.1%) and clothing and clothing accessories stores (-2,500; -1.3%). Monthly losses within these subsectors were driven by department stores (-4,200; -3.8%), direct selling establishments (-1,400; -6.1%) and clothing stores (-2,600; -1.6%).

Racialized Canadians are less likely to find as good jobs as their non-racialized and non-Indigenous counterparts early in their careers

Although racialized people are generally more likely than their non-racialized, non-Indigenous counterparts to earn a bachelor's degree or higher, they are less likely to find jobs that offer the same pay and benefits in the years following graduation.

In particular, two years after graduating, racialized graduates reported lower employment earnings and lower rates of unionization and pension plan coverage than their non-racialized, non-Indigenous counterparts. However, the findings varied considerably by racialized group and gender.

The results of the study "A portrait of educational attainment and occupational outcomes among racialized populations in 2021," indicate that many racialized populations, including the Korean, Chinese, South Asian, West Asian, Japanese, Arab and Filipino populations, had education levels well above the national average.

However, Southeast Asian people had lower levels of education, which may be attributed to many arriving to Canada as refugees. Nevertheless, second-generation Southeast Asian people (those born in Canada to foreign-born parents) had much higher education levels than their parents.