Youth employment rate lowest since 1998, over 50K jobs lost: StatsCan
Canada lost a crushing 51,000 full-time jobs last month, according to Statistics Canada’s latest Labour Force Survey.
Author: Quinn Patrick
Canada lost a crushing 51,000 full-time jobs last month, according to Statistics Canada’s latest Labour Force Survey.
The data revealed a harrowing picture, especially when it comes to youth employment.
“Overall, there has been little net employment growth since the beginning of the year, and the number of employed people in July was little changed compared with January,” reads the data released on Friday.
Youth employment fell by 34,000 jobs last month, a 0.7% decline, bringing the rate to 53.6%. Excluding the COVID-19 pandemic years of 2020-21, July marked the lowest youth employment rate since November 1998.
“Young Canadians are being crushed by Carney’s failure to get our economy moving again. This was confirmed by July’s Labour Force Survey, which found that the youth employment rate has sunk to its lowest level in over 25 years,” said Conservative Shadow Minister for Employment Garnett Genuis in a statement released Friday.
“Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for youth returning to school rose to 17.5 per cent. First jobs used to give youth experience that equipped them for their future, but this summer, students are facing an economic barrier.”
The private sector lost 39,000 employees last month, while public sector employment remained relatively unchanged.
While unemployment continues to tick up, so does Canada’s population, which increased by more than 37,000 last month.
According to Statistics Canada, the population has shot up by 715,000 over the past 12 months, with 307,500 jobs added.
The national unemployment rate now sits at 6.9 per cent, with unemployment increasing across most provinces in July.
“Unemployed people continued to face difficulties finding work in July,” said Statistics Canada. “Of the 1.6 million people who were unemployed in July, 23.8 per cent were in long-term unemployment, meaning they had been continuously searching for work for 27 weeks or more.”
Employment in construction decreased by 22,000 last month, following five consecutive months of little change.
Provincially, Alberta and British Columbia saw declines in their unemployment rates, while Quebec held steady and Ontario remained relatively unchanged.
Saskatchewan was the lone province to record an employment increase in July, up 0.6 per cent.
“At 5.0 per cent, the unemployment rate in Saskatchewan was the lowest among all the provinces,” said Statistics Canada.
However, in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada’s most densely populated region, unemployment stood at 9 per cent in July, up 0.3 per cent from the month before.
“Canadians’ overall career opportunities aren’t faring any better. Only the public sector saw job growth last month, with 1 in 5 Ontario workers now employed by the public sector,” said Genius.
“The Liberals’ plan isn’t working, and neither are our young people. Canadians need a real plan to unleash our economic potential, create jobs and deliver a better future for the next generation.”
Right... but is youth employment low because it's going to all the migrant workers and illegals? Just wondering because my nephew could not find summer employment a few years ago and had a stellar resume.... when he went to the places he applied to there were only East Indians, Muslim, etc.....
The only Canadians benefitting from the carnage liberal policies are liberals and their big money, insider supporters. Alberta independence can't happen soon enough for me and everyone I know. Carney's elbows up crowd can have what's left of the Canada we once new and loved!!