2001 Census Consultation Guide

Labour Market Activites

Recent Trends

After dramatic increases during the 1970s and 1980s, the female participation rate appears to have stabilized. It remains to be seen whether the rate will resume its upward trend in the years ahead. (Labour Force Survey)

The restructuring of Canadian industries is transforming the occupational structure: primary, manufacturing and other blue-collar occupations are declining while managerial, professional, technical and service occupations are increasing. (1991 Census)

Alternative work arrangements, such as job-sharing and part-time work, flex-time, split shifts, rotating shifts, evening or weekend shift work, home-based work and compressed work weeks, are becoming more common in the workplace. (Survey of Work Arrangements)

Self-employment is growing faster than the labour force: between 1981 and 1991, the number of self-employed workers grew by 28%, to account for 9.8% of the total labour force in 1991. The Labour Force Survey shows that this trend continues. (1991 Census and the Labour Force Survey)

1996 Census of Population Questionnaires

Major Social Policy Issues for the 21st Century

Good jobs/bad jobs. There is widespread concern about polarization of jobs in terms of pay and benefits. The traditional source of stable high-paying jobs in the goods sector is declining. It is not clear to what extent compensating jobs are being created in the service sector.

Why This Information Is Collected The census questions on labour market activities collect information on paid work done by people 15 years of age and older. This information is important for both businesses and governments at all levels when undertaking initiatives such as planning for education and training programs, forecasting future job opportunities, developing employment equity programs for designated groups, and developing measures to support job creation.

Growth of non-standard work. "Most employed Canadians still have only one full-time, permanent paid job, although the relative size of this majority is slowly declining as various forms of non-standard work become more common. Part-time work has been increasing since the middle of the century, but the trend accelerated during the 1981-82 recession and again in the recession that ushered in the 1990s. Own-account self-employment rates have been slowly rising, and temporary or contract work arrangements are also becoming more common. In addition, the proportion of workers holding more than one job has risen since the early 1980s." (1) Regional disparities. One of the most serious structural problems affecting the Canadian labour market is regional inequality. The traditional picture has been one of high unemployment in such areas as the Atlantic provinces, combined with lower rates elsewhere, in some cases much lower. However, disparities among regions are not immutable. The future may depend, for example, on how successfully the growth of industries based on high technology, information, and communications complements resource-based industries in such a way as to contribute to the reduction of these disparities.

⁽¹⁾ Harvey Krahn, Perspectives on Labour and Income, Winter 1995

Training and the skills gap. "In many occupations the rapidly growing demand for skilled workers is outstripping the abilities of the educational system and immigration to supply the needed number of workers. This development has led to the creation of a skills gap.... Skilled labour shortages appear to be concentrated in industries less vulnerable to the business cycle or in occupations vital to the health of a company. Consequently, these labour shortages may be more structural than cyclical in nature and will be alleviated only by increasing the supply of skilled workers through training and, possibly, through immigration."⁽²⁾

⁽²⁾ Andrew Sharpe, Perspectives on Labour and Income, Winter 1990

Major Data Users federal agencies and departments provincial and territorial governments municipalities private sector businesses researchers and academics

Points for Discussion

The range of labour market topics to be covered. The census is unique in its capacity to produce detailed industry data, detailed occupation data, and cross-classification of the two (and other census variables). Should the focus of the census be expanded to include a number of other topics or should the census attempt to strengthen the industry and occupation data?

Multiple job holders. The Labour Force Survey shows that increasing numbers of people hold more than one job. Is it useful to identify these persons? Restrictions concerning questionnaire space and respondent burden may permit collecting information only on the class of worker but not on the industry and occupation of the second job.

Unionization. Trade union membership appears to be stable in Canada, accounting for between 31% and 33% of paid employees. But behind the apparent stability in union density lie a number of changes in the demographic and labour market characteristics of unionized workers. Would questions on union membership or coverage by a collective agreement be useful in measuring these characteristics?

Distribution of hours worked. Workers in some companies are currently working shorter weeks than they would like while others are being offered substantial amounts of overtime by their employer. As a result, we are seeing a growing polarization of working hours and, possibly, a corresponding increase in underemployment. Should the census seek more detailed information on the distribution of paid work hours, including hours of overtime? Should the census be identifying those workers who want to work more hours than they are currently doing?

Job security. Job security is currently a prominent labour market issue. In order to gain flexibility and reduce operating costs in a highly competitive environment, employers have increasingly been turning to temporary workers or to workers hired on contract to increase their workforce. Would questions on the tenure of the current job (for example, permanent, temporary, contract, casual, term, seasonal) and on work history over the past few years (for example, number of jobs held, number of employers) be useful in measuring the nature and extent of this phenomenon?

Comparison of the Census and Alternative Sources of Data - Part 1 (PDF)
Comparison of the Census and Alternative Sources of Data - Part 2 (PDF)