Canada at a Glance, 2023
Labour
Data table for Chart 25
| 2023 | |
|---|---|
| proportion (percent) | |
| Labour force | 65.6 |
| Not in the labour force | 34.4 |
| Source: Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0327-01. | |
Labour force… in brief
In Canada, the labour force is defined as the civilian non-institutional population aged 15 and older who are participating in the labour market, whether they are employed or unemployed. It excludes individuals who were not available to work or not looking for work, such as full-time students, people unable to work and retirees.
Data table for Chart 26
| 2013 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| unemployment rate (percent) | ||
| Nunavut | 15.1 | 13.2 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 11.8 | 10.0 |
| Prince Edward Island | 11.6 | 7.3 |
| New Brunswick | 10.4 | 6.6 |
| Nova Scotia | 9.0 | 6.3 |
| Alberta | 4.6 | 5.9 |
| Northwest Territories | 7.9 | 5.9 |
| Ontario | 7.6 | 5.7 |
| Canada | 7.1 | 5.4 |
| British Columbia | 6.6 | 5.2 |
| Manitoba | 5.4 | 4.8 |
| Saskatchewan | 4.2 | 4.8 |
| Quebec | 7.8 | 4.5 |
| Yukon | 6.3 | 3.6 |
|
Note: The Labour Force Survey is conducted in Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut using an alternative methodology that accommodates some of the operational difficulties inherent to remote locales. These estimates are not included in the national total. Sources: Statistics Canada. Tables 14-10-0327-01 and 14-10-0393-01. |
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Unemployment rates… in brief
Unemployment rates and labour force participation are calculated using data from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey. Thanks to the participation of the population in this survey by phone, in person and online, we can also provide various statistics on the characteristics of Canada’s labour market among population groups, such as hours worked, wages and employment.
| 2012 | 2017 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total employees, all industries | 888.99 | 979.95 | 1,174.82 |
| Goods-producing sector | 1,059.79 | 1,163.5 | 1,349.01 |
| Agriculture | 617.93 | 687.1 | 842.4 |
| Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas | 1,617.38 | 1,848.41 | 2,001.35 |
| Utilities | 1,416.72 | 1,650.82 | 1,831.02 |
| Construction | 1,071.32 | 1,178.88 | 1,363.96 |
| Manufacturing | 949.01 | 1,034.05 | 1,224.3 |
| Services-producing sector | 841.28 | 932.01 | 1,130.35 |
| Wholesale and retail trade | 627.75 | 745.1 | 869.39 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 938.98 | 1,041.58 | 1,191.41 |
| Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing | 1,054.98 | 1,188.51 | 1,459.42 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 1,201.22 | 1,301.73 | 1,589.54 |
| Business, building and other support services | 652.31 | 709.92 | 912.8 |
| Educational services | 1,044.48 | 1,112.49 | 1,254.11 |
| Health care and social assistance | 840.39 | 925.23 | 1,063.61 |
| Information, culture and recreation | 803.72 | 868.82 | 1,101.64 |
| Accommodation and food services | 410.97 | 448.5 | 539.36 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 731.98 | 805.28 | 990.48 |
| Public administration | 1,236.58 | 1,342.11 | 1,512.94 |
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Note: Industry estimates in this table are based on the 2017 North American Industry Classification System. Source: Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0064-01. |
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Did you know?
- From January to December 2023, the employment rate fell for the population aged 25 to 54, as the rate of population growth for this age group (+2.9%; +446,000) outpaced employment growth (+2.1%; +275,000).
- The job vacancy rate—which corresponds to the number of vacant positions as a proportion of total labour demand—was 3.7% in November 2023. Across all sectors, the job vacancy rate was highest in accommodation and food services (6.0%) and health care and social assistance (5.2%).
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