Table 5 
Labour force characteristics by province, age group and sex, seasonally adjusted (Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia) 

Labour force characteristics by province, age group and sex, seasonally adjusted (Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia)
  December
2020
January
2021
Standard error1 December 2020 to January 2021 January 2020 to January 2021 December 2020 to January 2021 January 2020 to January 2021
  thousands (except rates)thousands (except rates)thousands (except rates) change in thousands (except rates)change in thousands (except rates) % change% change
Quebec              
Both sexes, 15 years and over              
Population 7,077.7 7,081.0 ... 3.3 47.6 0.0 0.7
Labour force 4,504.3 4,496.7 19.0 -7.6 -72.8 -0.2 -1.6
Employment 4,200.0 4,102.1 21.2 -97.9 -236.4 -2.3 -5.4
Full-time employment 3,448.3 3,442.8 25.2 -5.5 -92.0 -0.2 -2.6
Unemployment 304.3 394.6 19.1 90.3 163.6 29.7 70.8
Participation rate 63.6 63.5 0.3 -0.1 -1.5 ... ...
Unemployment rate 6.8 8.8 0.4 2.0 3.7 ... ...
Employment rate 59.3 57.9 0.3 -1.4 -3.8 ... ...
Both sexes, 15 to 24 years               
Population 909.1 908.5 ... -0.6 -3.6 -0.1 -0.4
Labour force 590.6 590.4 10.6 -0.2 -60.0 -0.0 -9.2
Employment 527.2 484.1 10.6 -43.1 -109.9 -8.2 -18.5
Unemployment 63.4 106.3 10.5 42.9 49.9 67.7 88.5
Participation rate 65.0 65.0 1.2 0.0 -6.3 ... ...
Unemployment rate 10.7 18.0 1.5 7.3 9.3 ... ...
Employment rate 58.0 53.3 1.2 -4.7 -11.8 ... ...
Men, 25 years and over              
Population 3,060.0 3,062.1 ... 2.1 28.2 0.1 0.9
Labour force 2,091.0 2,083.9 10.9 -7.1 15.4 -0.3 0.7
Employment 1,950.2 1,924.5 12.6 -25.7 -40.2 -1.3 -2.0
Unemployment 140.8 159.4 11.2 18.6 55.6 13.2 53.6
Participation rate 68.3 68.1 0.4 -0.2 -0.1 ... ...
Unemployment rate 6.7 7.6 0.5 0.9 2.6 ... ...
Employment rate 63.7 62.8 0.4 -0.9 -2.0 ... ...
Women, 25 years and over              
Population 3,108.6 3,110.3 ... 1.7 22.9 0.1 0.7
Labour force 1,822.7 1,822.4 10.9 -0.3 -28.2 -0.0 -1.5
Employment 1,722.6 1,693.5 12.1 -29.1 -86.3 -1.7 -4.8
Unemployment 100.1 128.9 10.7 28.8 58.1 28.8 82.1
Participation rate 58.6 58.6 0.4 0.0 -1.3 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.5 7.1 0.6 1.6 3.3 ... ...
Employment rate 55.4 54.4 0.4 -1.0 -3.2 ... ...
Ontario              
Both sexes, 15 years and over              
Population 12,274.5 12,280.5 ... 6.0 122.0 0.0 1.0
Labour force 8,011.3 7,887.9 29.0 -123.4 -21.8 -1.5 -0.3
Employment 7,239.0 7,085.5 28.2 -153.5 -408.6 -2.1 -5.5
Full-time employment 5,966.8 5,965.9 33.6 -0.9 -154.7 -0.0 -2.5
Unemployment 772.3 802.4 26.9 30.1 386.8 3.9 93.1
Participation rate 65.3 64.2 0.2 -1.1 -0.9 ... ...
Unemployment rate 9.6 10.2 0.3 0.6 4.9 ... ...
Employment rate 59.0 57.7 0.2 -1.3 -3.9 ... ...
Both sexes, 15 to 24 years               
Population 1,868.4 1,866.3 ... -2.1 -8.0 -0.1 -0.4
Labour force 1,195.9 1,089.8 17.0 -106.1 -57.2 -8.9 -5.0
Employment 942.8 852.7 15.4 -90.1 -175.5 -9.6 -17.1
Unemployment 253.1 237.1 16.0 -16.0 118.3 -6.3 99.6
Participation rate 64.0 58.4 0.9 -5.6 -2.8 ... ...
Unemployment rate 21.2 21.8 1.3 0.6 11.4 ... ...
Employment rate 50.5 45.7 0.8 -4.8 -9.2 ... ...
Men, 25 years and over              
Population 5,060.8 5,065.0 ... 4.2 66.7 0.1 1.3
Labour force 3,600.6 3,591.6 14.9 -9.0 32.5 -0.2 0.9
Employment 3,333.3 3,306.0 15.4 -27.3 -104.2 -0.8 -3.1
Unemployment 267.4 285.6 14.4 18.2 136.7 6.8 91.8
Participation rate 71.1 70.9 0.3 -0.2 -0.3 ... ...
Unemployment rate 7.4 8.0 0.4 0.6 3.8 ... ...
Employment rate 65.9 65.3 0.3 -0.6 -2.9 ... ...
Women, 25 years and over              
Population 5,345.2 5,349.2 ... 4.0 63.3 0.1 1.2
Labour force 3,214.8 3,206.5 16.5 -8.3 2.9 -0.3 0.1
Employment 2,963.0 2,926.8 16.5 -36.2 -128.9 -1.2 -4.2
Unemployment 251.8 279.6 14.0 27.8 131.8 11.0 89.2
Participation rate 60.1 59.9 0.3 -0.2 -0.7 ... ...
Unemployment rate 7.8 8.7 0.4 0.9 4.1 ... ...
Employment rate 55.4 54.7 0.3 -0.7 -3.1 ... ...
Manitoba              
Both sexes, 15 years and over              
Population 1,049.4 1,049.4 ... 0.0 3.4 0.0 0.3
Labour force 681.8 685.9 3.4 4.1 -11.9 0.6 -1.7
Employment 625.5 631.0 3.4 5.5 -30.6 0.9 -4.6
Full-time employment 509.8 525.8 4.6 16.0 1.3 3.1 0.2
Unemployment 56.3 54.8 3.1 -1.5 18.6 -2.7 51.4
Participation rate 65.0 65.4 0.3 0.4 -1.3 ... ...
Unemployment rate 8.3 8.0 0.4 -0.3 2.8 ... ...
Employment rate 59.6 60.1 0.3 0.5 -3.2 ... ...
Both sexes, 15 to 24 years               
Population 168.5 168.3 ... -0.2 -1.7 -0.1 -1.0
Labour force 101.0 104.6 2.1 3.6 -9.1 3.6 -8.0
Employment 82.5 84.9 2.0 2.4 -18.5 2.9 -17.9
Unemployment 18.5 19.8 1.9 1.3 9.4 7.0 90.4
Participation rate 59.9 62.2 1.3 2.3 -4.7 ... ...
Unemployment rate 18.3 18.9 1.6 0.6 9.8 ... ...
Employment rate 49.0 50.4 1.2 1.4 -10.4 ... ...
Men, 25 years and over              
Population 432.3 432.4 ... 0.1 2.5 0.0 0.6
Labour force 314.9 312.7 1.8 -2.2 -3.2 -0.7 -1.0
Employment 297.0 297.5 1.9 0.5 -4.0 0.2 -1.3
Unemployment 17.9 15.1 1.7 -2.8 0.7 -15.6 4.9
Participation rate 72.8 72.3 0.4 -0.5 -1.2 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.7 4.8 0.5 -0.9 0.2 ... ...
Employment rate 68.7 68.8 0.4 0.1 -1.3 ... ...
Women, 25 years and over              
Population 448.6 448.7 ... 0.1 2.7 0.0 0.6
Labour force 265.9 268.6 2.0 2.7 0.4 1.0 0.1
Employment 245.9 248.6 2.0 2.7 -8.2 1.1 -3.2
Unemployment 19.9 19.9 1.7 0.0 8.5 0.0 74.6
Participation rate 59.3 59.9 0.4 0.6 -0.2 ... ...
Unemployment rate 7.5 7.4 0.6 -0.1 3.1 ... ...
Employment rate 54.8 55.4 0.5 0.6 -2.2 ... ...
Saskatchewan              
Both sexes, 15 years and over              
Population 888.1 888.2 ... 0.1 0.6 0.0 0.1
Labour force 592.3 589.7 3.2 -2.6 -20.1 -0.4 -3.3
Employment 545.2 547.4 3.3 2.2 -25.2 0.4 -4.4
Full-time employment 446.9 446.9 4.3 0.0 -22.6 0.0 -4.8
Unemployment 47.1 42.3 3.0 -4.8 5.1 -10.2 13.7
Participation rate 66.7 66.4 0.4 -0.3 -2.3 ... ...
Unemployment rate 8.0 7.2 0.5 -0.8 1.1 ... ...
Employment rate 61.4 61.6 0.4 0.2 -2.9 ... ...
Both sexes, 15 to 24 years               
Population 134.4 134.4 ... 0.0 -0.2 0.0 -0.1
Labour force 85.8 85.1 1.8 -0.7 -3.8 -0.8 -4.3
Employment 70.7 71.8 1.8 1.1 -4.0 1.6 -5.3
Unemployment 15.1 13.3 1.8 -1.8 0.1 -11.9 0.8
Participation rate 63.8 63.3 1.4 -0.5 -2.7 ... ...
Unemployment rate 17.6 15.6 1.9 -2.0 0.8 ... ...
Employment rate 52.6 53.4 1.4 0.8 -2.9 ... ...
Men, 25 years and over              
Population 376.2 376.2 ... 0.0 0.4 0.0 0.1
Labour force 281.5 276.8 1.7 -4.7 -6.0 -1.7 -2.1
Employment 261.2 259.5 1.9 -1.7 -8.8 -0.7 -3.3
Unemployment 20.3 17.3 1.8 -3.0 2.9 -14.8 20.1
Participation rate 74.8 73.6 0.4 -1.2 -1.7 ... ...
Unemployment rate 7.2 6.3 0.6 -0.9 1.2 ... ...
Employment rate 69.4 69.0 0.5 -0.4 -2.4 ... ...
Women, 25 years and over              
Population 377.5 377.5 ... 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.1
Labour force 225.0 227.8 1.8 2.8 -10.3 1.2 -4.3
Employment 213.3 216.1 1.8 2.8 -12.4 1.3 -5.4
Unemployment 11.7 11.7 1.5 0.0 2.1 0.0 21.9
Participation rate 59.6 60.3 0.5 0.7 -2.8 ... ...
Unemployment rate 5.2 5.1 0.6 -0.1 1.1 ... ...
Employment rate 56.5 57.2 0.5 0.7 -3.4 ... ...
Alberta              
Both sexes, 15 years and over              
Population 3,524.9 3,527.7 ... 2.8 40.7 0.1 1.2
Labour force 2,430.1 2,444.1 13.8 14.0 1.3 0.6 0.1
Employment 2,160.6 2,181.4 13.8 20.8 -79.6 1.0 -3.5
Full-time employment 1,767.0 1,766.7 16.5 -0.3 -78.3 -0.0 -4.2
Unemployment 269.5 262.7 13.4 -6.8 80.8 -2.5 44.4
Participation rate 68.9 69.3 0.4 0.4 -0.8 ... ...
Unemployment rate 11.1 10.7 0.5 -0.4 3.3 ... ...
Employment rate 61.3 61.8 0.4 0.5 -3.0 ... ...
Both sexes, 15 to 24 years               
Population 523.7 523.5 ... -0.2 2.1 -0.0 0.4
Labour force 321.9 327.7 7.8 5.8 -2.7 1.8 -0.8
Employment 242.8 254.5 7.1 11.7 -30.0 4.8 -10.5
Unemployment 79.1 73.2 7.5 -5.9 27.3 -7.5 59.5
Participation rate 61.5 62.6 1.5 1.1 -0.8 ... ...
Unemployment rate 24.6 22.3 2.1 -2.3 8.4 ... ...
Employment rate 46.4 48.6 1.4 2.2 -6.0 ... ...
Men, 25 years and over              
Population 1,493.3 1,494.7 ... 1.4 18.4 0.1 1.2
Labour force 1,141.8 1,135.4 7.2 -6.4 -6.5 -0.6 -0.6
Employment 1,032.0 1,039.9 7.9 7.9 -31.2 0.8 -2.9
Unemployment 109.8 95.5 7.7 -14.3 24.7 -13.0 34.9
Participation rate 76.5 76.0 0.5 -0.5 -1.3 ... ...
Unemployment rate 9.6 8.4 0.7 -1.2 2.2 ... ...
Employment rate 69.1 69.6 0.5 0.5 -3.0 ... ...
Women, 25 years and over              
Population 1,508.0 1,509.5 ... 1.5 20.2 0.1 1.4
Labour force 966.4 981.0 7.9 14.6 10.5 1.5 1.1
Employment 885.8 887.0 8.0 1.2 -18.4 0.1 -2.0
Unemployment 80.6 94.0 7.0 13.4 28.9 16.6 44.4
Participation rate 64.1 65.0 0.5 0.9 -0.2 ... ...
Unemployment rate 8.3 9.6 0.7 1.3 2.9 ... ...
Employment rate 58.7 58.8 0.5 0.1 -2.0 ... ...
British Columbia              
Both sexes, 15 years and over              
Population 4,319.2 4,320.6 ... 1.4 43.3 0.0 1.0
Labour force 2,798.2 2,825.8 15.7 27.6 53.1 1.0 1.9
Employment 2,596.8 2,599.6 15.8 2.8 -44.6 0.1 -1.7
Full-time employment 2,045.9 2,050.4 20.3 4.5 -25.4 0.2 -1.2
Unemployment 201.4 226.2 14.1 24.8 97.8 12.3 76.2
Participation rate 64.8 65.4 0.4 0.6 0.6 ... ...
Unemployment rate 7.2 8.0 0.5 0.8 3.4 ... ...
Employment rate 60.1 60.2 0.4 0.1 -1.6 ... ...
Both sexes, 15 to 24 years               
Population 604.6 603.4 ... -1.2 -3.3 -0.2 -0.5
Labour force 366.8 390.2 9.3 23.4 12.0 6.4 3.2
Employment 314.8 324.5 8.4 9.7 -20.5 3.1 -5.9
Unemployment 52.1 65.7 8.1 13.6 32.5 26.1 97.9
Participation rate 60.7 64.7 1.5 4.0 2.4 ... ...
Unemployment rate 14.2 16.8 2.0 2.6 8.0 ... ...
Employment rate 52.1 53.8 1.4 1.7 -3.1 ... ...
Men, 25 years and over              
Population 1,808.5 1,809.7 ... 1.2 22.7 0.1 1.3
Labour force 1,269.1 1,272.2 8.0 3.1 11.5 0.2 0.9
Employment 1,193.5 1,194.6 8.5 1.1 -18.7 0.1 -1.5
Unemployment 75.6 77.6 7.8 2.0 30.2 2.6 63.7
Participation rate 70.2 70.3 0.4 0.1 -0.2 ... ...
Unemployment rate 6.0 6.1 0.6 0.1 2.3 ... ...
Employment rate 66.0 66.0 0.5 0.0 -1.9 ... ...
Women, 25 years and over              
Population 1,906.1 1,907.5 ... 1.4 23.9 0.1 1.3
Labour force 1,162.3 1,163.5 8.5 1.2 29.7 0.1 2.6
Employment 1,088.5 1,080.5 8.9 -8.0 -5.5 -0.7 -0.5
Unemployment 73.7 83.0 7.4 9.3 35.2 12.6 73.6
Participation rate 61.0 61.0 0.4 0.0 0.8 ... ...
Unemployment rate 6.3 7.1 0.6 0.8 2.9 ... ...
Employment rate 57.1 56.6 0.5 -0.5 -1.1 ... ...
...
not applicable
Note(s):
The sum of individual categories may not always add up to the total as a result of rounding.
Source(s):
Table 14-10-0287-03 (formerly CANSIM table 282-0087).
Date modified: