According to the recent Labour Force Survey from Statistics Canada, employment in Canada remained relatively stable (+22,000; +0.1%) after two monthly increases in December 2022 and January 2023.
The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.0%, slightly higher than the record-low 4.9% recorded in the summer of 2022. There were just over 1 million unemployed Canadians in February, essentially unchanged from January.
In addition, employment in Canada among adults aged 25 to 54, or core-aged adults, remained unchanged. Additionally, youth employment remained the same compared to the previous month.
Employability of women
In February, employment in Canada among women aged 55 to 64 increased by 30,000 (+1.9%). In February, over 6 out of 10 women in the age group were employed, the highest rate on record.
There were 58.9% of women over 15 who worked in February 2023. This percentage has increased from 58.1% in August 2022 but is lower than the record high of 59.2% in October 2007. From August 2022 to February 2023, employment in Canada among women increased by 214,000, accounting for 61% of total employment growth.
Trends in employment in Canada by industry
The professional, scientific, & technical services industry has significantly contributed to employment in Canada over the past three years, accounting for over one-third of the total net employment growth. In February, employment in this industry increased by 4.7% (+84,000) year-over-year, outpacing all other sectors (+2.1%).
In addition, the hourly wages of industry employees increased by 9.6% (+$3.83 to $43.69) during the same period, the highest growth rate among all industries.
Employment in health care and social assistance increased by 0.6% or 15,000 people. Employment in health care and social service increased by 44,000, or 1.7%, annually.
February saw increased public administration employment (+10,000, +0.9%). Ontario (+7,600; +1.7%) & New Brunswick (+1,500; +4.3%) have the highest concentrations of public administration workers, including federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal workers and Indigenous governments. In February 2022, employment in the public administration industry was 7.7% higher than in February 2021.
Employment in business, building, and other support services decreased (-11,000; -1.5%), marking the sector’s first notable decline over a year. The decrease was greatest in Ontario (-16,000, -5.3%).
Therefore, the retail and wholesale trade sectors, as well as construction, saw a relatively steady level of employment.
Trends in employment by province and territory
The employment rate increased in Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Manitoba, whereas it fell in Nova Scotia.
In February, employment in Prince Edward Island increased by 2.0% (+1,700), the second increase in three months. In February, 2,400 more Prince Islanders were employed full-time.
Employment increased by 1.6% (+3,800) in Newfoundland and Labrador, the second increase in three months. The unemployment rate fell 1.9 percentage points.
In the province of New Brunswick, employment increased by 1.3% (5,100), the second increase in three months. Work in the area increased by nearly 5 percent annually.
After three months of stagnation, employment in Manitoba increased by 0.7% (4,900) due to increased full-time employment.
In February, only Nova Scotia experienced an employment decline (-4,700; -0.9%). In February, the unemployment rate increased by 0.7 percentage points to 5.7%.
Moreover, in the remaining provinces, employment remained the same.
