The Unemployment Rate and the Youth Unemployment Rate

According to the Labour Force Survey (LFS), the national unemployment rate in 2000 was 6.8%. The unemployment rate has steadily declined since 1996, when it was 9.6%. For youths (aged 15 to 24) the unemployment rate in 2000 was 12.6%, down from 15.3% in 1996.

The unemployment rate is the proportion of the labour force aged 15 and older who did not have a job during the reference period. The youth unemployment rate is the proportion of the labour force aged 15 to 24 who did not have a job during the reference period.

Rural Atlantic Canada had high unemployment and youth unemployment rates

In 2000, all the health regions in a large part of rural Atlantic Canada (peer group D) had unemployment rates that exceeded the national rate of 6.8%. The rates ranged from 14.8% in Region 7 (New Brunswick) to 24.9% in Grenfell Regional Health Services Board (Newfoundland).

All but one health region in rural Atlantic Canada also had a youth unemployment rate in 2000 that was higher than the national figure of 12.6%. The rates ranged from 23.1% in Region 6 (New Brunswick) up to 37.6% in Health and Community Services Eastern Region (Newfoundland). Data were not published for Newfoundland's Grenfell Regional Health Services Board because the estimated rate did not meet the minimum criteria for quality and confidentiality.

Most high-density metropolitan areas have high unemployment rates and low youth unemployment rates

Three of the five health regions in high-density metropolitan areas (peer group A) had unemployment rates above the national average of 6.8% in 2000. The higher-than-average rates ranged from 7.0% in Vancouver to 9.5% in Région de Montréal-Centre. Unemployment rates were lower-than-average in the City of Toronto Public Health Unit (6.4%) and in Richmond (6.1%).

Among high-density metropolitan areas, all but Burnaby (12.9%) had a youth unemployment rate in 2000 that fell below the national average of 12.6%. These ranged from 11.0% in both the City of Toronto Public Health Unit and Vancouver to 12.5% in Région de Montréal-Centre.

Low unemployment rates and youth unemployment rates in most large urban centres

In 2000, all health regions in large urban centres (peer group B) had unemployment rates below the national average of 6.8%. These rates ranged from 3.1% in the North Shore to 6.3% in South Fraser Valley (both in British Columbia).

Six of the eight health regions in large urban centres had a youth unemployment rate below the 12.6% national average. Within those six, the rate ranged from 8.2% in both Simon Fraser (British Columbia) and the York Public Health Unit (Ontario) up to 11.0% in Capital Health Authority (Alberta). The exceptions were South Fraser Valley (British Columbia), which had a youth unemployment rate equal to national average (12.6%) and the North Shore, where the data were not released because the estimated rate did not meet the minimum requirements for quality and confidentiality.

Go to data table for this indicator