Provincial-territorial human resource module of the Tourism Satellite Account, 2012
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Released: 2014-06-16
Tourism accounted for 1.6 million jobs in Canada in 2012, up 1.5% from 2011. All provinces and territories added jobs in tourism industries in the year. The growth rate was highest in Yukon at 27.4% and lowest in Ontario at 0.6%.
In 2012, job increases in tourism in each of the Atlantic provinces outpaced total job growth in their respective economies, as well as total job growth in the national tourism sector.
Since the 2009 recession, tourism industries in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and the Northwest Territories have posted job growth each year.
Among the provinces and territories, the tourism sector's share of jobs was highest in British Columbia at 12.2%. The Northwest Territories (12.1%) and Yukon (11.3%) reported the next largest proportions. Nunavut had the smallest share at 7.1%.
Average weekly hours worked per job in the tourism industries increased 1.1% in Canada to 29.3 hours per week in 2012. This compares with 32.9 average weekly hours worked in the total economy. Weekly hours worked were highest in the Northwest Territories (33.6 hours per week) and Alberta (31.5), while they were lowest in Manitoba (28.0) and Quebec (28.4). The average work week was shorter in the tourism sector than in the rest of the economy in each province and territory.
Average hourly compensation in Canada's tourism industries grew 0.6% in 2012 to $20.77. Newfoundland and Labrador (+4.9%) posted the largest increase, its fifth consecutive gain, followed by Alberta (+4.4%). Hourly compensation fell most rapidly in Nunavut (-7.8%) and Yukon (-5.8%). In both cases, the decreases followed four years of growth. Hourly compensation in tourism industries was highest in Nunavut at $42.22.
Hourly compensation in tourism industries was lower than hourly compensation for the rest of the economy in each province and territory. The relative gap in hourly compensation in tourism industries compared with the rest of the economy was smallest in Nunavut ($42.22 compared with $55.43) and largest in Prince Edward Island ($13.88 compared with $23.84) and Alberta ($22.30 compared with $38.25).
Women occupied 53% of employee jobs in tourism industries. Of employee jobs held by men in Canada's tourism sector, two-thirds were full time, compared with 56% of those held by women.
Young workers, those aged 15 to 24, were most prevalent in tourism industries in Prince Edward Island (occupying 45% of employee jobs) and Manitoba (43%). They were least prevalent in the Northwest Territories (19%) and Nunavut (23%). At the national level, young workers held 36% of employee jobs in tourism industries.
Older workers (those aged 45 and over) occupied 30% of employee jobs in Canada's tourism industries. They were most prevalent in the Northwest Territories and in Newfoundland and Labrador, holding one-third of employee jobs in tourism industries in those jurisdictions. This demographic group was least prevalent in Nunavut (occupying one in five jobs) and in Manitoba and Alberta (occupying one in four jobs in both cases).
Note to readers
The provincial-territorial human resource module of the Tourism Satellite Account is funded through a partnership agreement with the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council. It provides timely and reliable statistics on the human resource dimension of tourism. This new provincial-territorial publication of the national human resource module includes revised data for Canada from 1997 to 2012 and disaggregates data by province and territory for the first time.
The human resource module provides the total hours worked, compensation and jobs in tourism industries, including jobs that are attributable to demand from both tourists and non-tourists. This differs from the data for tourism jobs in the National Tourism Indicators and the Tourism Satellite Account, which take into account only those jobs that are directly attributable to demand from tourists. These variables are aggregated into five industry groups: transportation, accommodation, food and beverage services, recreation and entertainment, and travel services.
Employee jobs are defined as jobs for which the employer must complete a Canada Revenue Agency T4 form. Jobs in which workers are paid by tips or commissions are also included.
Jobs from self-employment include jobs performed by working owners of unincorporated enterprises, and members of their households who work without a wage or salary (i.e., unpaid family workers).
The paper "Provincial-Territorial Human Resource Module of the Tourism Satellite Account" is now available as part of the Income and Expenditure Accounts Technical Series (Catalogue number13-604-M). From the Browse by Key resource module of our website, choose Publications.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@canada.ca).
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