Labour market report, June 2023

Quick facts

In June 2023:

• There were 12.8 million people in Ontario aged 15 years or older
  • 8.4 million (65.9%) were in the labour force. The labour force increased by 68,700 (0.8%) in June compared to May.
  • 8.0 million (62.2%) were employed, up by 55,800, (0.7%) from May.
• Ontario’s unemployment rate increased to 5.7% in June from 5.5% in May and 476,700 people were unemployed, up by 12,900 (2.8%) from May.

Employment increased in June

Employment in Ontario increased in June by 55,800 (0.7%) to 7,951,300, after decreasing by 23,900 (−0.3%) in May. Provincial employment has been on an upward trend in recent months, with job gains totalling 236,400 since September 2022.

Employment in Canada increased in June by 59,900 (0.3%), after decreasing by 17,300 (−0.1%) in May. A total of 20,172,800 people were employed in Canada in June.

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

Full-time vs. part-time

Full-time employment accounted for all June’s job gains (94,600 or 1.5%). Part-time employment decreased by 38,800 (−2.7%) positions.

Employment change by sex and age

Employment increased by 36,100 (0.9%) for men, after decreasing by 18,000 (−0.4%) in May. Total male employment was 4,195,000 in June. Employment for women increased by 19,700 (0.5%) in June after declining in May (−6,000 or −0.2%). Total female employment was 3,756,300 in June.

Youth (aged 15 to 24) employment increased by 8,600 (0.8%) in June to 1,053,200, after decreasing by 32,800 (−0.3%) in May. Employment for people aged 25 to 54 increased by 59,300 (1.2%) in June and totalled 5,167,000, after little change in May. Employment for those aged 55 and older decreased by 12,100 (−0.7%) to 1,731,100 in June, after increasing by 7,700 (0.4%) in May.

Employment change by industry

Ontario’s largest industry groups by employment in June were wholesale and retail trade (1,137,500 or 14.3% of total employment), health care and social assistance (966,900 or 12.2%), professional, manufacturing (819,900 or 10.3%), scientific and technical services (810,000 or 10.2%) and finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (693,200 or 8.7%).

Ten of the sixteen major industry groups recorded job gains in June. Wholesale and retail trade (11,900 or 1.1%), transportation and warehousing (9,700 or 2.5%), manufacturing (7,300 or 0.9%) and professional, scientific and technical services (6,700 or 0.8%) led job gains.

Employment losses occurred in accommodation and food services (−2,700 or −0.6%), educational services (−2,300 or −0.4%), construction (−1,800 or −0.3%) and information, culture and recreation (−1,500 or −0.4%) in June.

Employment was unchanged in agriculture and utilities in June.

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

Employment change by occupation

Ontario’s largest occupational groups by employment in June were sales and service (1,733,500 or 21.5% of total employment), business, finance and administration (1,368,700 or 17.0%), trades, transport and equipment operators (1,167,700 or 14.5%), occupations in education, law and social, community and government services (895,300 or 11.1%) and management (823,700 or 10.2%).

Seven of the ten major occupational groups in Ontario had net employment gains in the first six months of 2023 when compared to the same period in 2022. Management occupations (74,000 or 10.0%) led job gains, followed by trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations (72,900 or 7.0%), occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport (24,700 or 12.1%) and occupations in education, law, social, community and government services (22,900 or 2.6%).

Employment losses were recorded in occupations in manufacturing and utilities (−20,600 or −5.4%), natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations (−9,200 or −10.7%), and natural and applied sciences and related occupations (−8,300 or −1.1%).

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

Employment change in urban centres

In June 2023, employment in twelve of the sixteen Ontario Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) was above their June 2022 level, led by Toronto (106,900 or 3.0%) and followed by Ottawa-Gatineau (29,800 or 4.9%), Windsor (16,900 or 9.7%), Kitchener (13,200 or 4.0%) and Barrie (9,800 or 7.9%)

Employment losses in June were recorded in St. Catharines-Niagara (−10,200 or −4.5%). Oshawa (−7,900 or −4.5%), Hamilton (−7,400 or −1.8%) and Peterborough (−3,700 or −5.5%).

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

Unemployment rate increased to 5.7%

Ontario’s unemployment rate increased to 5.7% in June from 5.5% in May, marking the second consecutive monthly increase after trending downward since November 2022.

June’s unemployment rate increased as employment gains were outpaced by gains in the labour force.

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 June 2023.

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

The unemployment rate for women was 5.8% in June, up from 5.7% in May. The rate for men was 5.5% in June, up from 5.4% in May.

For youth aged 15 to 24, the unemployment rate rose to 13.8% in June from 13.1% in May. The unemployment rate for individuals aged 25 to 54 decreased to 4.5% in June from 4.6% in May. The unemployment rate for those aged 55 and older increased to 3.5% in June from 3.3% in May.

In Ontario, the unemployment rate among population groups designated as visible minorities was estimated at 6.9% in June compared to a 4.6% 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 7.7% in June compared to a 5.4% rate for the non-Indigenous population. The unemployment rate for the Indigenous population includes the rate for First Nations people living off reserve (9.8%) and individuals who identify as Métis (4.3%) (data are three-month moving averages and are not adjusted for seasonality).

Unemployment rate by urban centre

In June, the average unemployment rate increased from May in ten of the sixteen Ontario Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs). The largest increases were seen in Belleville (5.3% in May to 6.7% June) and St. Catharine-Niagara (4.5% to 5.7%).

Five CMAs had average unemployment rates that decreased in June, led by Windsor (6.5% in May to 5.8& in June) and Kingston (5.5% in May to 3.9% in June).

Hamilton’s average unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.0% in June.

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

Long-term unemployment

In June, an estimated 65,500 Ontarians or 13.7% of all unemployed people were unemployed for 27 weeks or longer (long-term unemployed). This compared to 83,900 Ontarians or 18.1% of all unemployed people in May and 79,300 or 18.8% of all unemployed people a year earlier in June 2022.

The average time in unemployment was 16.8 weeks in June, above the average in May (18.8 weeks) and well below the average in June 2022 (19.4 weeks).

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

Average hourly wages by sex, age and industry

The average hourly wage rate in Ontario for employees was $34.02 in June, above the average rate across Canada ($33.12). Ontario’s average hourly wage rate in June rose by 3.7% on a year-over-year basis (by $1.22 from $32.80 in June 2022 and was below the 5.1% increase in May.

June’s wage growth (3.7%) was above the growth seen in the Ontario Consumer Price Index (CPI) as of May (3.1%). 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 May 2023.

The average hourly wage rate was $31.79 for women in June, rising by 4.5% ($1.36) from $30.43 in June 2022. For men, the average hourly wage rate was $36.17, an increase of 3.0% ($1.04) from $35.13 a year earlier.

For youth aged 15 to 24, the average hourly wage rate was $20.07 in June, an increase of 3.8% ($0.74) from $19.33 in June 2022. The average hourly wage rate for individuals aged 25 to 54 rose to $37.02 in June, up 3.7% ($1.33) from $35.69 a year earlier. The average hourly wage rate for those aged 55 and older increased by 3.7% ($1.28) to $35.52 in June from $34.66 a year earlier.

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

1. Agriculture: +14.8% ($3.20) to $24.76
2. Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing: +8.3% ($3.36) to $43.65
3. Business, building and other support services: +7.9% ($1.89) to $25.82

Three industries experienced decrease in average hourly wage rate in June compared to a year earlier:

1. Information, culture and recreation: −2.1% (−$0.69) to $31.87
2. Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas: −1.1% (−$0.48) to $41.45
3. Educational services: −0.3% (−$0.13) to $39.02

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

June 2023 Labour Market Report:

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

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