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3mo ago

Canada’s Jobless Rate Climbs to 6.9% as Economy Sheds 18,000 Jobs

The latest Labour Force Survey signals a shift toward part-time work alongside a drop in the share of Canadians who are employed.

Students take in the offerings at Sudbury's Cambrian College's Career Fair Conference in February. A report released Friday by Statistics Canada shows young workers (those under 24) saw their unemployment rate jump to 14.3 per cent from 13.8 per cent in the first four months of 2026. In 2020, before the pandemic, that rate hovered around 10 per cent.
Saskatchewan shed 4,000 jobs (0.6 per cent) as Canada's unemployment rate grew by 0.2 per cent, peaking at 6.9 per cent — the highest number seen since September 2025, when unemployment reached 7.1 per cent.
Greater Sudbury’s unemployment rate edged up a bit in April as it added full-time jobs during the month, but also lost part-time positions, Statistics Canada reports.

Overview

  • Statistics Canada reported a 0.2 percentage point rise in April unemployment to 6.9%, the highest level since September 2025, with a net loss of 18,000 jobs.
  • The share of people aged 15 and older who have a job fell to 60.5%, a low not seen since August 2025, as part-time work rose 0.8% and full-time roles fell 0.3%.
  • Job changes varied by province as Quebec lost 43,000 positions with Greater Montreal at 7.7% unemployment, Ontario gained 42,000, and Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador posted declines.
  • Youth joblessness rose to 14.3% and unemployment for men aged 25 to 54 increased to 6.1%, while the share of people unemployed for 27 weeks or more held near 22.5%.
  • The report extends a choppy start to 2026 after February’s 84,000 job drop, and regional strains are drawing political fire, with Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck saying the province is going in the wrong direction.