Labour market report, July 2023

Quick facts

In July 2023:

• There were 12.8 million people in Ontario aged 15 years or older
  • 8.4 million (65.7%) were in the labour force. The labour force decreased by 6,000 (−0.1%) in July compared to June.
  • 7.9 million (62.0%) were employed, little changed (−2,000 or 0.0%) from June.
• Ontario’s unemployment rate decreased to 5.6% in July from 5.7% in June and 472,700 people were unemployed, down by 4,000 (−0.8%) from June.

Employment little changed in July

Employment in Ontario was little changed in July (−2,000 or 0.0%), after increasing by 55,800 (0.7%) in June. A total of 7,949,300 people were employed in Ontario in July.

Employment in Canada was little changed in July (−6,400 or 0.0%), after increasing by 59,900 (0.3%) in June. A total of 20,166,400 people were employed in Canada in July.

Chart 1 shows employment in Ontario from January 2005 to July 2023.

Full-time vs. part-time

Full-time employment was little changed in July (−1,400 or 0.0%). Part-time employment was also little changed in July (−600 or 0.0%).

Employment change by sex and age

Employment was little changed for men (1,400 or 0.0%), after decreasing by 36,100 (−0.9%) in June. Total male employment was 4,196,400 in July. Employment for women decreased by 3,400 (−0.1%) in July after rising by 19,700 (0.5%) in June. Total female employment was 3,752,900 in July.

Youth (aged 15 to 24) employment increased by 1,900 (0.2%) in July to 1,055,100, after increasing by 8,600 (0.8%) in June. Employment for people aged 25 to 54 decreased by 18,800 (−0.4%) in July and totalled 5,148,200, after increasing by 59,300 (1.2%) in June. Employment for those aged 55 and older increased by 15,000 (0.9%) to 1,746,100 in July, after decreasing by 12,100 (−0.7%) in June.

Employment change by industry

Ontario’s largest industry groups by employment in July were wholesale and retail trade (1,140,500 or 14.3% of total employment), health care and social assistance (971,200 or 12.2%), manufacturing (827,700 or 10.4%), professional, scientific and technical services (805,800 or 10.1%) and finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (681,400 or 8.6%).

Seven of the sixteen major industry groups recorded job gains in July. Educational services (15,200 or 2.7%), agriculture (11,000 or 15.0%), manufacturing (7,800 or 1.0%) and other services (except public administration) (7,300 or 2.7%) led job gains.

Employment losses occurred in public administration (−15,800 or −3.4%), finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (−11,800 or −1.7%), construction (−8,700 or −1.4%) and information, culture and recreation (−8,300 or −2.4%) in July.

Employment was little changed in utilities in July.

Chart 2 shows industries by employment change in Ontario, June 2023 to July 2023.

Employment change by occupation

Ontario’s largest occupational groups by employment in July were sales and service (1,708,500 or 21.3% of total employment), business, finance and administration (1,368,000 or 17.1%), trades, transport and equipment operators (1,129,400 or 14.1%), management (829,300 or 10.4%) and occupations in education, law and social, community and government services (811,700 or 10.1%).

Seven of the ten major occupational groups in Ontario had net employment gains in the first seven months of 2023 when compared to the same period in 2022. Management occupations (69,100 or 9.3%) led job gains, followed by trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations (66,400 or 6.3%), occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport (30,600 or 14.8%) and occupations in education, law, social, community and government services (23,100 or 2.7%).

Employment losses were recorded in occupations in manufacturing and utilities (−20,700 or −5.3%), natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations (−8,900 or −9.7%), and natural and applied sciences and related occupations (−6,500 or −0.9%).

Chart 3 shows occupations by employment change in Ontario, July 2022 (year-to-date) to July 2023 (year-to-date).

Employment change in urban centres

In July 2023, employment in ten of the sixteen Ontario Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) was above their July 2022 level, led by Toronto (115,000 or 3.2%) and followed by Ottawa-Gatineau (35,000 or 4.4%), Windsor (19,100 or 11.2%), Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (13,300 or 4.0%) and London (11,400 or 3.9%)

Employment losses in July were recorded in St. Catharines-Niagara (−8,000 or −3.6%). Hamilton (−7,400 or −1.8%), Oshawa (−6,500 or −2.9%) and Peterborough (−2,800 or −4.1%).

Employment was little changed in Greater Sudbury and Brantford in July.

Chart 4 shows employment change for Ontario Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) from July 2022 to July 2023.

Unemployment rate decreased to 5.6%

Ontario’s unemployment rate decreased to 5.6% in July from 5.7% in June, following two consecutive monthly increases in the rate in May and June 2023. July’s unemployment rate decreased as employment losses were exceeded by losses in the labour force.

The Canadian unemployment rate rose to 5.5% in July from 5.4% in June, marking the third consecutive monthly increase in the rate.

The Canadian unemployment rate rose to 5.4% in June from 5.2% in May.

Chart 5 shows unemployment rates, Ontario and Canada, January 2005 to July 2023.

Unemployment rate by sex, age, visible minority status and Indigenous group

The unemployment rate for women was 6.3% in July, up from 5.8% in June. The rate for men was 5.0% in July, down from 5.5% in June.

For youth aged 15 to 24, the unemployment rate fell to 12.2% in July from 13.8% in June. The unemployment rate for individuals aged 25 to 54 increased to 4.8% in July from 4.5% in June. The unemployment rate for those aged 55 and older increased to 3.8% in July from 3.5% in June.

In Ontario, the unemployment rate among population groups designated as visible minorities was estimated at 8.0% in July compared to a 4.7% rate for those who are not visible minorities and did not identify as Indigenous (data are three-month moving averages and are not adjusted for seasonality).

The unemployment rate for Ontario’s Indigenous population was estimated at 7.0% in July compared to a 5.9% rate for the non-Indigenous population. The unemployment rate for the Indigenous population includes the rate for First Nations people living off reserve (8.8%) and individuals who identify as Métis (3.7%) (data are three-month moving averages and are not adjusted for seasonality).

Unemployment rate by urban centre

In July, the average unemployment rate increased from June in twelve of the sixteen Ontario Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs). The largest increases were seen in Belleville (6.7% in June to 10.2% July) and London (4.5% to 5.0%).

Four CMAs had average unemployment rates that decreased in July, led by Peterborough (7.4% in June to 6.8% in July) and Kingston (3.9% to 3.6%).

Chart 6 shows the average unemployment rate for Ontario Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) in July 2023.

Long-term unemployment

In July, an estimated 72,000 Ontarians or 15.2% of all unemployed people were unemployed for 27 weeks or longer (long-term unemployed). This compared to 65,500 Ontarians or 13.7% of all unemployed people in June and 65,800 or 15.8% of all unemployed people a year earlier in July 2022.

The average time in unemployment was 17.5 weeks in July, above the average in June (16.8 weeks) and the average in July 2022 (16.8 weeks).

Chart 7 shows Ontario’s long-term unemployment (27 weeks or more) as a percentage of total unemployment, January 2005 to July 2023.

Average hourly wages by sex, age and industry

The average hourly wage rate in Ontario for employees was $34.43 in July, above the average rate across Canada ($33.24). Ontario’s average hourly wage rate in July rose by 5.7% on a year-over-year basis (by $1.85 from $32.58 in July 2022) and was above the 3.7% increase in June.

July’s wage growth (5.7%) was well above the growth seen in the Ontario Consumer Price Index (CPI) as of June (2.6%). The CPI is a measure of inflation that represents changes in prices for goods and services as experienced by consumers.

Chart 8 shows the year-over-year percentage change in Ontario’s average hourly wage rate and the Ontario Consumer Price Index (CPI), January 2015 to July 2023.

The average hourly wage rate was $32.10 for women in July, rising by 5.3% ($1.61) from $30.49 in July 2022. For men, the average hourly wage rate was $36.62, an increase of 5.8% ($2.02) from $34.60 a year earlier.

For youth aged 15 to 24, the average hourly wage rate was $20.29 in July, an increase of 6.7% ($1.27) from $19.02 in July 2022. The average hourly wage rate for individuals aged 25 to 54 rose to $37.85 in July, up 6.0% ($2.13) from $35.72 a year earlier. The average hourly wage rate for those aged 55 and older increased by 4.2% ($1.42) to $35.63 in July from $34.21 a year earlier.

In July, the industries with the largest increases in average hourly wage rates compared to a year earlier were:

1. Agriculture: +30.5% ($6.18) to $26.44
2. Other services (except public administration): +13.9% ($3.63) to $29.77
3. Public administration: +10.1% ($4.11) to $44.99

Only one industry experienced a decrease in average hourly wage rate in July compared to a year earlier:

1. Information, culture and recreation: −2.1% (−$0.69) to $31.87

Changes in average hourly wages by industry are the result of multiple factors, including wage growth and shifts in the composition of employment by job tenure and occupation.

Download data

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey

July 2023 Labour Market Report

• CSV, Chart 1, employment in Ontario from January 2005 to July 2023, 1 KB
• CSV, Chart 2, industries with highest and lowest employment change in Ontario, June 2023 to July 2023, 2 KB
• CSV, Chart 3, employment change for occupations in Ontario from July 2022 (year-to-date) to July 2023 (year-to-date), 2 KB
• CSV, Chart 4, employment change for Ontario Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) from July 2022 to July 2023, 2 KB
• CSV, Chart 5, unemployment rates, Ontario and Canada, January 2005 to July 2023, 2 KB
• CSV, Chart 6, average unemployment rates for Ontario Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs), 2 KB
• CSV, Chart 7, Ontario’s long-term unemployed (27 weeks or more) as a percentage of total unemployment, January 2005 to July 2023, 2 KB
• CSV, Chart 8, year-over-year percentage change in Ontario’s average hourly wage rate and the Ontario Consumer Price Index (CPI), January 2015 to July 2023, 2 KB

Open Government Licence Ontario