Canadian Employment June 2024 Snapshot
In June, employment in Canada remained virtually unchanged, with a slight decline of 1,400 jobs. This follows a similar trend in May, where employment saw a modest increase of 27,000 jobs. Consequently, the employment rate decreased by 0.2 percentage points to 61.1%, marking the eighth decline in the past nine months. Since the peak in January and February 2023, the employment rate has dropped by 1.3 percentage points.
At the same time, the unemployment rate increased to 6.4% in June, a rise of 0.2 percentage points. This continues an upward trend that began in April 2023, with the rate increasing by 1.3 percentage points over this period.
Industry-Specific Employment Trends
Certain sectors experienced significant changes in employment levels. Transportation and warehousing saw a decline for the second consecutive month, losing 12,000 jobs in June. Public administration also faced a reduction, with 8,800 fewer jobs in June.
On a more positive note, the accommodation and food services sector added 17,000 jobs, continuing a three-month growth streak that has resulted in a cumulative increase of 54,000 jobs since March. The agriculture sector also rebounded, with an increase of 12,000 jobs in June, the first rise since July 2023. However, despite this gain, employment in agriculture remains down by 18,000 jobs year-over-year.
Regional Employment Changes
Employment trends also varied across different regions in Canada. Quebec experienced a decline of 18,000 jobs in June, following little change in May. Over the past year, employment in Quebec has remained relatively stable, but the employment rate has fallen by 1.2 percentage points to 60.8%. The province's unemployment rate increased by 0.6 percentage points to 5.7% in June.
In contrast, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador recorded employment gains. New Brunswick added 3,000 jobs in June, marking the second increase in three months. The participation rate in the province rose by 0.3 percentage points to 61.4%, while the unemployment rate remained relatively stable at 7.7%. Over the past year, employment in New Brunswick has increased by 4.2%, or 16,000 jobs.
Newfoundland and Labrador saw an employment increase of 2,600 jobs in June, reducing the unemployment rate to 9.2%, down by 0.7 percentage points. This increase offset the decline observed in May and marked the first monthly gain since January 2024.
In Ontario, while overall employment levels remained stable, the unemployment rate rose to 7.0% as more people entered the job market in search of work.
Wage Growth and Remote Work Trends
Despite these challenges, average hourly wages showed strong growth, increasing by 5.4% year-over-year to $34.91 in June. Wage increases were observed across all segments, with employees in the bottom 25% of the wage distribution experiencing a 4.2% rise, while those in the top 25% saw a 6.9% increase.
The pandemic-induced shift towards remote work continues to evolve. In June 2024, 15.1% of employees worked from home, with a growing share reporting to remote work locations. This shift highlights ongoing changes in work arrangements, even as the proportion of employees working from home has decreased from its pandemic peak.
The statistics used from the Labour Force Survey, May 2024, released by Statistics Canada Statistics Canada. (2024). Labour Force Survey, June 2024. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/240705/dq240705a-eng.htm