Labour shortage trends in Canada

Labour Shortage Trends in Canada (PDF, 687.26 KB)
Labour shortage Trends in Canada
Description: Labour shortage trends in Canada

Labour shortage trends in Canada

The unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio in Canada is at a historical low, amid a record tight labour market.

Unemployment-to-job-vacancy ratio, by year
  Number of unemployed per job vacancy
First quarter 2016 4.4
First quarter 2017 3.6
First quarter 2018 2.6
First quarter 2019 2.4
First quarter 2020 2.6
First quarter 2021 3.2
First quarter 2022 1.4
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey and Job Vacancy and Wage Survey.
Note: Data are not seasonally adjusted.

The unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio has decreased in every province and is the lowest in Quebec and British Columbia.

Unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio, by geography and year
  Number of unemployed per job vacancy
First quarter 2020 First quarter 2022
British Columbia 1.7 1.0
Alberta 4.1 2.0
Saskatchewan 3.6 1.6
Manitoba 2.3 1.2
Ontario 2.6 1.5
Quebec 2.3 1.0
New Brunswick 4.0 2.5
Nova Scotia 4.4 1.9
Prince Edward Island 5.2 3.1
Newfoundland and Labrador 7.8 5.5
Canada 2.6 1.4
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey and Job Vacancy and Wage Survey.
Note: Data are not seasonally adjusted.

Employers are having difficulty filling vacant positions.

Across the five primary sectors driving total job vacancies, the ratio of new hires to vacancies has been trending downward

Ratio of new hires to vacancies
  First quarter 2016 First quarter 2017 First quarter 2018 First quarter 2019 First quarter 2020 First quarter 2021 First quarter 2022
Total, all sectors 81.1% 74.3% 64.9% 58.7% 47.0% 47.8% 33.6%
Construction 119.9% 98.9% 101.5% 82.7% 60.7% 48.7% 32.3%
Manufacturing 89.5% 84.7% 66.7% 52.6% 58.8% 43.9% 34.9%
Retail Trade 95.1% 83.3% 92.3% 95.0% 79.5% 69.6% 48.8%
Health care and social assistance 58.0% 60.5% 55.6% 45.3% 30.7% 36.6% 23.3%
Accommodation and food services 81.0% 75.3% 57.9% 60.4% 33.4% 39.2% 23.2%
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey and Job Vacancy and Wage Survey.
Note: Data are not seasonally adjusted. The ratio of new hires to vacancies is the number of new hires as a proportion of vacant positions.

Labour challenges are impacting Canadian employers:

  • Recruiting skilled employees was expected to be an obstacle over the next three months for nearly two-fifths (36.9%) of all businesses, led by those in construction (49.5%), manufacturing (47.4%), and accommodation and food services (46.3%).
  • In addition, shortage of labour force was expected to be an obstacle for over one-third (35.0%) of businesses, while retaining skilled employees was expected to be an obstacle for over one-quarter (27.6%).

Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Survey on Business Conditions.

Mismatches between the offered wage associated with vacancies and the reservation wage—the minimum hourly wage at which job seekers are willing to accept a position—may be contributing to the elevated level of job vacancies in certain sectors, particularly in retail trade and accommodation and food services. In sectors where the offered wage is above the reservation wage, such as in health care and social assistance, other factors may be at play to explain the labour shortage (e.g. population aging).

Average reservation wage and average offered hourly wage, first quarter 2022
  Average offered hourly wage Average reservation wage
Dollars
Construction 27.50 29.55
Manufacturing 23.45 24.20
Retail trade 17.85 23.00
Health care and social assistance 25.60 23.50
Accommodation and food services 15.85 18.85
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey and Job Vacancy and Wage Survey.
Note: Data are not seasonally adjusted.

Wholesale Trade Survey (monthly): CVs for total sales by geography - April 2022

Wholesale Trade Survey (monthly): CVs for total sales by geography - April 2022
Geography Month
202104 202105 202106 202107 202108 202109 202110 202111 202112 202201 202202 202203 202204
percentage
Canada 0.7 0.9 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.8 1.2 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.8
Newfoundland and Labrador 1.2 2.4 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.4 0.4 1.0 0.6 1.5 2.5
Prince Edward Island 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Nova Scotia 5.2 8.1 4.4 2.1 2.5 2.8 2.4 2.8 5.9 2.8 1.8 2.5 4.1
New Brunswick 1.1 1.6 2.9 2.4 2.1 2.4 2.2 4.0 1.4 3.2 0.5 1.4 2.9
Quebec 1.9 3.1 3.0 1.5 1.7 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.9 2.2 1.4 1.4 1.7
Ontario 1.1 1.2 0.9 0.8 1.0 1.1 1.1 1.3 2.1 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.3
Manitoba 2.8 5.2 1.6 0.8 1.0 1.1 1.7 1.2 1.5 1.7 1.6 0.6 0.8
Saskatchewan 0.8 0.5 0.6 0.6 1.3 1.6 1.0 0.8 0.5 0.9 0.3 0.4 0.6
Alberta 1.2 1.5 1.3 1.5 1.1 1.0 1.4 2.0 1.0 1.8 1.6 0.8 1.8
British Columbia 1.1 1.3 1.3 1.5 1.4 1.8 1.2 1.7 1.3 1.6 2.3 1.6 1.4
Yukon Territory 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Northwest Territories 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
Nunavut 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Monthly Survey of Food Services and Drinking Places: CVs for Total Sales by Geography - April 2022

Monthly Survey of Food Services and Drinking Places: CVs for Total Sales by Geography - March 2022
Table summary
This table displays the results of CVs for Total sales by Geography. The information is grouped by Geography (appearing as row headers), Month and percentage (appearing as column headers).
Geography Month
202104 202105 202106 202107 202108 202109 202110 202111 202112 202201 202202 202203 202204
percentage
Canada 0.70 0.70 1.00 3.40 0.43 0.16 0.19 0.18 0.15 0.68 0.82 1.00 0.43
Newfoundland and Labrador 2.01 3.35 0.36 0.45 0.45 0.47 0.52 0.52 0.57 0.98 1.60 1.72 1.15
Prince Edward Island 16.43 0.84 0.68 0.64 0.58 2.75 7.74 7.11 4.93 8.04 10.63 9.27 2.12
Nova Scotia 2.96 3.07 0.85 0.36 0.27 0.30 0.38 0.38 1.13 0.93 0.58 14.35 0.87
New Brunswick 1.01 1.73 0.39 0.42 0.36 0.52 0.49 0.53 1.69 8.61 13.21 0.99 1.02
Quebec 1.08 1.95 3.60 16.19 0.65 0.53 0.59 0.51 0.27 2.15 2.64 2.49 0.59
Ontario 1.45 1.13 1.80 1.16 0.87 0.23 0.25 0.31 0.20 1.19 1.04 1.23 0.78
Manitoba 1.14 2.61 0.62 0.68 0.33 0.35 0.68 0.78 0.50 4.84 0.59 0.65 0.78
Saskatchewan 1.11 0.84 0.55 10.60 0.89 0.76 1.51 1.22 0.74 1.38 1.19 1.19 2.14
Alberta 1.40 2.37 0.44 2.27 0.64 0.37 0.45 0.36 0.74 1.23 2.53 2.51 0.97
British Columbia 1.87 1.43 0.78 1.64 0.32 0.32 0.41 0.33 0.27 1.16 1.74 3.19 1.30
Yukon Territory 64.50 2.58 1.50 2.66 4.71 1.91 2.96 19.04 12.40 2.59 2.40 2.43 3.83
Northwest Territories 72.86 2.96 1.42 2.81 5.63 2.14 3.33 24.74 4.96 3.70 2.58 2.40 3.50
Nunavut 3.43 4.33 1.20 72.94 2.71 3.48 5.52 3.56 2.53 0.65 0.69 0.67 2.73

Requests for information – Science and technology

Under the authority of the Statistics Act, Statistics Canada is hereby requesting the following information which will be used solely for statistical and research purposes and will be protected in accordance with the provisions of the Statistics Act and any other applicable law. This is a mandatory request for data.

Other content related to science and technology

Patent application data

What information is being requested?

Statistics Canada is requesting patent application data from the Canadian Intellectual Property Office to conduct research on the role of intellectual property. The request includes the names and addresses of the inventors, complete details of the invention, and the status of the application.

What personal information is included in this request?

This request contains personal information such as names and addresses of the patent applicants. This information is required to perform data linkages, for statistical purposes only. Once the data are linked, the personal identifiers will be replaced by an anonymized person key.

What years of data will be requested?

Annual data as of 2000 (ongoing).

From whom will the information be requested?

The information is being requested from the Canadian Intellectual Property Office.

Why is this information being requested?

Statistics Canada is requesting patent application data from the Canadian Intellectual Property Office to conduct research on the role of intellectual property in generating economic growth and the role of individuals in creating and mobilizing that intellectual property. Budget 2017 announced the Innovation and Skills Plan, which highlights people as the first pillar and includes a new comprehensive Intellectual Property Strategy. This strategy is intended to support the commercialization of Canadian innovation and creativity in order to foster an ecosystem that supports businesses to grow and compete, with a focus on helping Canadian inventors develop their own intellectual property strategy. By linking the patent application data to the Canadian Employer Employee Dynamics Database, research will include the contribution of patenting to economic growth and the participation of diverse groups in patenting activities, which will inform policy makers.

Statistics Canada may also use the information for other statistical and research purposes.

Why were these organizations selected as data providers?

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office collects and maintains up-to-date data on patent applications and approvals in Canada.

When will this information be requested?

April 2022

When was this request published?

June 21, 2022

Research and development

List of businesses operating in the quantum technologies market

What information is being requested?

A list of businesses operating in the quantum technologies market which includes business identifiers, such as business name, number, and address

What personal information is included in this request?

This request does not contain any personal information

What years of data will be requested?

Data as of 2022 (ongoing)

From whom will the information be requested?

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Why is this information being requested?

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is typically used by Statistics Canada to ensure comprehensive industrial coverage in its business surveys. The current standard, NAICS 2022, does not have a dedicated code for businesses operating in the quantum technologies market. In the absence of such a code, this acquisition will improve Statistics Canada’s ability to build and maintain a survey frame of quantum businesses for use in several of its innovation and technology surveys.

Data users with an interest in the quantum technologies market will benefit from this acquisition by having access to better quality statistics which are more representative of the quantum technologies market. Statistics Canada may also use the information for other statistical and research purposes.

Why were these organizations selected as data providers?

The data provider maintains comprehensive and up-to-date lists of businesses operating in various technology sectors based on its subject matter expertise, including the quantum technologies market.

When will this information be requested?

February 2024

What Statistics Canada programs will primarily use these data?

When was this request published?

February 20, 2024

Retail Trade Survey (Monthly): CVs for total sales by geography – April 2022

CVs for Total sales by geography
This table displays the results of Retail Trade Survey (monthly): CVs for total sales by geography – April 2022. The information is grouped by Geography (appearing as row headers), Month and Percent (appearing as column headers)
Geography Month
202204
%
Canada 0.7
Newfoundland and Labrador 2.2
Prince Edward Island 1.5
Nova Scotia 2.5
New Brunswick 3.5
Quebec 1.7
Ontario 1.2
Manitoba 1.5
Saskatchewan 3.1
Alberta 1.5
British Columbia 1.5
Yukon Territory 1.4
Northwest Territories 1.2
Nunavut 2.2

Type of dwelling – 2021 Census promotional material

Help spread the word about 2021 census data on type of dwelling in Canada. These data were released on April 27, 2022.

Quick facts

  • The number of apartments in a high-rise apartment building—with five or more storeys—has risen quickly. From 2016 to 2021, it increased 14.7%, more than double the total growth in the number of private dwellings (+6.4%).
  • From 2016 to 2021, the number of apartments in high-rise apartment buildings in British Columbia (+24.8%) grew more than five times faster than the number of single-detached houses (+4.3%).
  • Apartments located in high-rises represent just over 3 in 10 dwellings (30.7%) in the large urban centre of Toronto, the highest percentage in the country.

Resources

Social media content

Statistics Canada encourages our community supporters to post our content and images to their own social media accounts. You can save the images to your device and copy and paste the text content to your social media platforms to share.

Post 1

Aerial view of a suburb with detached houses

New #2021Census data show that single detached houses are the most common housing type in Canada. To learn more about the changes in types of dwellings across the country: https://bit.ly/3rjh07Q

Your census, your stories; Canada's portrait - Two brick row houses painted pink and blueDownload Instagram story image

Web images

Type of dwelling tile (JPG, 129 KB)
A row of houses

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Sexual and Reproductive Health Data Acquisition Initiative

Opened: December 2021
Closed: June 2022
Results posted: February 12, 2024

Engagement initiative objectives

Statistics Canada is currently in the process of developing a national survey initiative on sexual and reproductive health.

We have engaged with Canadians from diverse perspectives to better understand what is important to them when it comes to sexual and reproductive health and help the Agency develop a respectful approach when designing any survey initiative. The surveys will include topics such as access to resources, services, supports and challenges faced in relation to sexual and reproductive health. Some populations such as women, youth, LGBTQ2 people, racialized Canadians and Indigenous peoples may face different challenges and barriers to accessing sexual and reproductive health support, information and services. In order to ensure the relevancy of the initiative, it is essential to identify information priorities for different populations in order to provide data to support policies and programs which best meet the needs of all Canadians.

How to get involved

This phase of engagement is now closed.

Statistics Canada is committed to respecting the privacy of participants. All personal information created, held or collected by the agency is protected by the Privacy Act. For more information on Statistics Canada's privacy policies, please consult the privacy notice.

Results

The following report is the outcome of Statistics Canada's extensive engagement effort with a wide range of data users: What We Heard Report.

Sex at birth and gender – 2021 Census promotional material

Help spread the word about 2021 census data on sex at birth and gender in Canada. These data were released on April 27, 2022.

Quick facts

  • One in 300 people in Canada aged 15 and older are transgender or non-binary.
  • In May 2021, there were 59,460 people in Canada aged 15 and older living in a private household who were transgender (0.19%) and 41,355 who were non-binary (0.14%).
  • Close to two-thirds (62.0%) of the 100,815 individuals who were transgender or non-binary were younger than 35.

Resources

Social media content

Statistics Canada encourages our community supporters to post our content and images to their own social media accounts. You can save the images to your device and copy and paste the text content to your social media platforms to share.

Post 1

Portrait of a non-binary person raising an LGBTQ2+ community flag.

According to the latest #2021Census data, 0.19% percent of the Canadian population, aged 15 and older living in a private household, was transgender, and 0.14% was non-binary. To learn more: https://bit.ly/3rjh07Q

Post 2

A transgender flag

The #2021Census is the first census to provide data on transgender people and non-binary people. See the results from the #2021Census and learn more about gender diversity across Canada: https://bit.ly/3rjh07Q

Your census, your stories; Canada's portrait - A transgender flagDownload Instagram story image

Web images

Sex at birth and gender tile (JPG, 76.0 KB)
A transgender flag

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Consumer Price Index basket contents organized according to goods and services

Goods

Non-durable goods

  • Fresh or frozen beef hip cuts
  • Fresh or frozen beef loin cuts
  • Fresh or frozen beef rib cuts
  • Fresh or frozen beef chuck cuts
  • Fresh stewing beef
  • Fresh or frozen ground beef
  • Other fresh or frozen beef
  • Fresh or frozen pork loin cuts
  • Fresh or frozen pork shoulder cuts
  • Other fresh or frozen pork
  • Other fresh or frozen meat (excluding poultry)
  • Fresh or frozen chicken breasts
  • Fresh or frozen chicken thighs
  • Fresh or frozen chicken drumsticks
  • Fresh or frozen whole chicken
  • Other fresh or frozen chicken
  • Other fresh or frozen poultry
  • Bacon
  • Ham excluding deli ham
  • Other processed meat
  • Fresh or frozen fish (including portions and fish sticks)
  • Canned salmon
  • Canned tuna
  • Shrimps and prawns
  • Other shellfish
  • Whole milk
  • Low fat milk
  • Butter
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Processed cheese
  • Unripened or fresh cheese
  • Mozzarella cheese
  • Ice cream and related products
  • Other dairy products
  • Eggs
  • Bread, rolls and buns
  • Cookies and crackers
  • Other bakery products
  • Rice and rice-based mixes
  • Breakfast cereal and other cereal products (excluding baby food)
  • Dry or fresh pasta
  • Pasta mixes
  • Flour and flour-based mixes
  • Apples
  • Oranges
  • Bananas
  • Citrus (excluding oranges)
  • Grapes
  • Berries (including cherries)
  • Other fresh fruit
  • Fruit juices
  • Canned fruit
  • Jam, jelly and other preserves
  • Dried and dehydrated fruit
  • Frozen fruit
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Potatoes
  • Tomatoes
  • Lettuce
  • Carrots
  • Onions
  • Peppers
  • Cucumber
  • Mushrooms
  • Other fresh vegetables
  • Frozen and dried vegetables
  • Canned vegetables and other vegetable preparations
  • Sugar and syrup
  • Confectionery
  • Margarine
  • Other edible fats and oils
  • Roasted or ground coffee
  • Instant and other coffee
  • Tea
  • Condiments, spices and vinegars
  • Soup
  • Canned infant or junior foods
  • Infant formula
  • Frozen food preparations
  • Nut butter
  • Potato chips and other snack products n.e.c.
  • All other miscellaneous food preparations
  • Non-alcoholic beverages
  • Electricity
  • Natural gas
  • Fuel oil and other fuels
  • Laundry detergents and soaps
  • Detergents and rinse agents for dish washing
  • Household cleaning and polishing products
  • Bleach and other household chemical products
  • Fabric softener
  • Household paper supplies
  • Stationery
  • Plastic and aluminum foil supplies
  • Pet food and supplies
  • Seeds, plants and cut flowers
  • Other horticultural goods
  • Other household supplies
  • Gasoline
  • Prescribed medicines (excluding medicinal cannabis)
  • Non-prescribed medicines
  • Medicinal cannabis
  • Other health care goods
  • Personal soap
  • Toiletry items and cosmetics
  • Oral-hygiene products
  • Other personal care supplies and equipment
  • Fuel, parts and accessories for recreational vehicles
  • Beer purchased from stores
  • Wine purchased from stores
  • Liquor purchased from stores
  • Other alcoholic beverages purchased in stores
  • Cigarettes
  • Other tobacco products and smokers' supplies
  • Recreational cannabis

Semi-durable goods

  • Window coverings
  • Bedding and other household textiles
  • Women's clothing
  • Men's clothing
  • Children's clothing
  • Women's footwear (excluding athletic)
  • Men's footwear (excluding athletic)
  • Children's footwear (excluding athletic)
  • Athletic footwear
  • Clothing accessories
  • Passenger vehicle parts, accessories and supplies
  • Eye care goods
  • Toys, games (excluding video games) and hobby supplies
  • School textbooks and supplies
  • Newspapers
  • Magazines and periodicals
  • Books and reading material (excluding textbooks)

Durable goods

  • Upholstered furniture
  • Wooden furniture
  • Other furniture
  • Cooking appliances
  • Refrigerators and freezers
  • Laundry and dishwashing appliances
  • Other household appliances
  • Non-electric kitchen utensils, tableware and cookware
  • Household tools (including lawn, garden and snow removal equipment)
  • Other household equipment
  • Other household furnishings and equipment
  • Watches
  • Jewellery
  • Purchase of new passenger vehicles
  • Purchase of used passenger vehicles
  • Sporting and exercise equipment
  • Computer equipment, software and supplies
  • Multipurpose digital devices
  • Photographic equipment and supplies
  • Other recreational equipment
  • Purchase of recreational vehicles and outboard motors
  • Audio equipment
  • Video equipment
  • Purchase of digital media

Services

  • Food purchased from table-service restaurants
  • Food purchased from fast food and take-out restaurants
  • Food purchased from cafeterias and other restaurants
  • Rent
  • Tenants' insurance premiums
  • Tenants' maintenance, repairs and other expenses
  • Mortgage interest cost
  • Homeowners' replacement cost
  • Property taxes and other special charges
  • Homeowners' home and mortgage insurance
  • Homeowners' maintenance and repairs
  • Other owned accommodation expenses
  • Water
  • Cellular services
  • Postal and other communications services
  • Internet access services
  • Child care services
  • Housekeeping services
  • Other household services
  • Financial services
  • Services related to household furnishings and equipment
  • Clothing material, notions and services
  • Leasing of passenger vehicles
  • Rental of passenger vehicles
  • Passenger vehicle maintenance and repair services
  • Passenger vehicle insurance premiums
  • Passenger vehicle registration fees
  • Drivers' licences
  • Parking fees
  • All other passenger vehicle operating expenses
  • City bus and subway transportation
  • Taxi and other local and commuter transportation services
  • Air transportation
  • Rail, highway bus and other inter-city transportation
  • Other public transportation
  • Eye care services
  • Dental care services
  • Other health care services
  • Personal care services
  • Recreational services
  • Insurance, licences and other services for recreational vehicles
  • Rental of digital media
  • Other home entertainment equipment, parts and services
  • Traveller accommodation
  • Travel tours
  • Spectator entertainment (excluding video and audio subscription services)
  • Video and audio subscription services
  • Use of recreational facilities and services
  • All other cultural and recreational services
  • Tuition fees
  • Other lessons, courses and education services
  • Other reading material (excluding textbooks)
  • Beer served in licensed establishments
  • Wine served in licensed establishments
  • Liquor served in licensed establishments
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