In January 2025, Toronto’s labour market surprised economists by exhibiting positive momentum, and aligning with provincial and national employment trends. Analysts had been expecting the economy would have lost significant jobs based on the spectre of proposed U.S. tariffs and
July Labour Lowdown
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Toronto’s labour market conditions have now cooled considerably from where they were a year ago. Although the unemployment rate ticked slightly lower to 8.2%, the decline can be attributed fewer individuals participating in the labour force which declined by 0.8% from May. Particularly striking are the nearly 100,000 jobs lost since June of last year. There are, however, some positive signals in anticipation of further interest rate cuts.
March Labour Lowdown
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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.
The AI Effect: Exploring the New Frontiers of Employment in Toronto
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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.