In June, Canada saw minimal changes in employment, with a slight decrease of 1,400 jobs. This stability follows an increase of 27,000 jobs in May. The employment rate dropped by 0.2 percentage points to 61.1%, marking the eighth decline in the past nine months. Since January 2023, the employment rate has fallen by 1.3 percentage points from its peak of 62.4%.

The unemployment rate rose to 6.4% in June, up 0.2 percentage points from the previous month. 

Change by Industry

Different sectors experienced varied changes in employment. Transportation and warehousing saw a decline for the second consecutive month, losing 12,000 jobs in June. Public administration also saw a decrease of 8,800 jobs in June.

Contrastingly, the accommodation and food services sector added 17,000 jobs, marking a three-month growth streak and a cumulative increase of 54,000 jobs since March. The agriculture sector also saw a positive shift, gaining 12,000 jobs in June, the first increase since July 2023. However, agriculture employment remains down by 18,000 jobs year-over-year.

These trends highlight the mixed impacts of economic conditions across various industries, with some sectors showing recovery and growth while others face ongoing challenges.

Trends Across Provinces & Territories

Employment changes varied across Canada’s regions. Quebec saw a decline of 18,000 jobs in June, following a stable May. Over the past year, employment in Quebec has remained steady, but the employment rate has decreased by 1.2 percentage points to 60.8%. The province's unemployment rate rose by 0.6 percentage points to 5.7%.

In contrast, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador posted employment gains. New Brunswick added 3,000 jobs in June, marking its second increase in three months. The participation rate in the province rose by 0.3 percentage points to 61.4%, while the unemployment rate held steady at 7.7%. Over the past year, New Brunswick has seen a 4.2% increase in employment, adding 16,000 jobs.

Newfoundland and Labrador experienced a rise of 2,600 jobs in June, reducing the unemployment rate to 9.2%, down by 0.7 percentage points. This gain offset a decline in May and marked the first increase since January 2024.

Ontario's overall employment remained unchanged in June, but the unemployment rate increased to 7.0% as more people entered the job market. The province's unemployment rate has risen by 1.9 percentage points since April 2023, from a recent low of 5.1%.

Wage Increase 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