Across Canada, labour market conditions largely held with the employment numbers holding steady along with unemployment rates. Unfortunately, the Toronto labour market did not fare as well as the rest of Canada. The unemployment rate in Toronto increased 1.7 percentage points to reach 7.5% in March.
How to: Guide to Building Employee Resilience
Building resilience in employees is key to maintaining a healthy, productive work environment. By implementing these recommended steps, employers can significantly enhance the resilience of their employees, leading to a more adaptable and robust workforce.
Factors Impacting Employability to Address Barriers to Employment
Understanding and addressing employability barriers is crucial for employers to tap into a wider talent pool and enhance workforce efficiency.
How to: Approach Filling Hot Jobs in Innovative Ways
By adopting these 10 strategies, employers can not only fill vacancies more effectively but also build a more diverse and dynamic workforce.
How to: Retaining Women in the Workforce
Women are three times as likely to leave high-contact jobs during a crisis, those jobs were disproportionately affected by the pandemic and women specifically often hold high contact roles like teachers, retail associates or hospitality roles.
February Labour Lowdown
Toronto’s unemployment rate jumped to 8.2% last month, an increase of 0.7% from January 2024. The employment rate dipped by 0.4% to 59.8% while labour force participation rates stood steady at 65.2%. Statistic Canada notes that the increase in unemployment
How to: Childcare Support for Working Parents
Common barriers that working parents encounter are limited availability at childcare centres, accessibility issues including transportation, high costs, and rigid schedules leading to long commutes. A Statistics Canada survey revealed that 42% of working parents delayed returning to work due to difficulties in finding childcare, and among those seeking childcare, over 50% faced challenges with finding care, with parents of children under one year being the most affected.
The AI Effect: Exploring the New Frontiers of Employment in Toronto
Automation’s impact on Toronto’s labor market is nuanced. Industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, and transportation, which traditionally employ a significant number of lower-skilled workers, are at a higher risk of job displacement due to AI and robotics. However, technology is also a net job creator, promising new roles that currently do not exist and altering existing jobs to work alongside AI, enhancing human labor rather than replacing it.
How to: Ripple Effects of Employee Turn Over In Tight Labour Markets
The study, which analyzed data from over a million employees at 1,620 retail chains over 22 months, found that layoff announcements have a strong, immediate impact. These announcements often heighten feelings of job insecurity among remaining employees, precipitating a wave of voluntary departures. This reaction underscores the need for careful communication and support strategies during such announcements.
Toronto’s Labour Market One of Few Bright Spots
Across Canada, labour market conditions weakened in November with unemployment rates increasing and layoffs on the rise compared with a year ago. The softer job market conditions come as high interest rates weigh on economic growth and a ballooning population adds to the number of people looking for work. Toronto bucked the national trend with our unemployment rate actually declining from 6.5% to 6.3%.