Labour market report, November 2023

Quick facts

In November 2023:

• There were 13.0 million people in Ontario aged 15 years or older
  • 8.5 million (65.3%) were in the labour force. The labour force decreased by 5,500 (-0.1%) in November compared to October.
  • 8.0 million (61.3%) were employed, little changed (6,500 or 0.1%) from October.
• Ontario's unemployment rate decreased to 6.1% in November from 6.2% in October and 512,400 people were unemployed, down by 12,100 (-2.3%) from October.

Employment little changed in November

Employment in Ontario was little changed in November (6,500 or 0.1%), after decreasing by 14,300 (-0.2%) in October. A total of 7,952,400 people were employed in Ontario in November.

Employment in Canada was little changed in November (24,900 or 0.1%), after little change (17,500 or 0.1%) in October. A total of 20,312,500 people were employed in Canada in November.

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

Full-time vs. part-time

Full-time employment increased by 8,600 (0.1%) in November, while part-time employment decreased by 2,100 (-0.2%).

Employment change by sex and age

Employment increased by 6,100 (0.1%) for men in November, after decreasing by 6,700 (-0.2%) in October. Total male employment was 4,184,100 in November. Employment for women was little changed in November (500 or 0.0%), after falling by 7,700 (-0.2%) in October. Total female employment was 3,768,300 in November.

Youth (aged 15 to 24) employment decreased by 6,000 (-0.6%) in November to 1,020,000, after decreasing by 18,900 (-1.8%) in October. Employment for people aged 25 to 54 increased by 13,400 (0.3%) in November and totalled 5,203,300, after increasing by 7,500 (0.1%) in October. Employment for those aged 55 and older decreased by 900 (-0.1%) to 1,729,100 in November, after decreasing by 3,000 (-0.2%) in October.

Employment change by industry

Ontario’s largest industry groups by employment in November were wholesale and retail trade (1,095,600 or 13.8% of total employment), health care and social assistance (979,600 or 12.3%), professional, scientific and technical services (852,500 or 10.7%), manufacturing (814,900 or 10.2%) and finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (658,400 or 8.3%).

Nine of the sixteen major industry groups recorded job gains in November. Business, building and other support service (10,700 or 3.9%), professional, scientific and technical services (8,800 or 1.0%), other services (except public administration) (7,200 or 2.6%) and manufacturing (6,100 or 0.8%) led job gains.

Notable employment losses occurred in health care and social assistance (-12,300 or -1.2%), wholesale and retail trade (-8,200 or -0.7%) and finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (-8,200 or -1.2%) in November.

Chart 2 shows industries by employment change in Ontario, October 2023 to November 2023.

Employment change by occupation

Ontario’s largest occupational groups by employment in November were sales and service (1,643,900 or 20.6% of total employment), business, finance and administration (1,314,600 or 16.5%), trades, transport and equipment operators (1,120,600 or 14.1%) and occupations in education, law and social, community and government services (924,600 or 11.7%).

Seven of the ten major occupational groups in Ontario had net employment gains in the first eleven months of 2023 when compared to the same period in 2022. Management occupations (63,100 or 8.2%) led job gains, followed by trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations (58,000 or 5.5%), business, finance and administration occupations (37,000 or 2.8%) and occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport (27,900 or 13.2%).

Employment losses were recorded in occupations in manufacturing and utilities (-13,500 or -3.5%), natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations (-4,400 or -4.5%) and sales and service occupations (-4,400 or -0.3%).

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

Employment change in urban centres

In November 2023, employment in ten of the sixteen Ontario Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) was above their November 2022 level, led by Toronto (135,000 or 3.8%) and followed by Ottawa-Gatineau (37,500 or 4.6%), London (18,000 or 6.1%) and St. Catharines - Niagara (13,000 or 6.1%).

Notable employment losses in November were recorded in Hamilton (-4,700 or -1.1%), Belleville (-2,700 or -4.9%) and Brantford (-2,600 or -3.2%).

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

Unemployment rate decreased to 6.1%

Ontario’s unemployment rate decreased to 6.1% in November from 6.2% in October. The provincial unemployment rate has increased significantly since falling to a near-record low in April 2023 (4.9%).

The Canadian unemployment rate increased to 5.8% in November from 5.7% in October. The national unemployment has steadily risen since April 2023 (5.0%).

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

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

The unemployment rate for women was 6.0% in November, down from 6.1% in October. The rate for men was 6.1% in November, down from 6.2% in October.

For youth aged 15 to 24, the unemployment rate fell to 13.3% in November from 14.0% in October. The unemployment rate for individuals aged 25 to 54 increased to 5.1% in November from 4.9% in October. The unemployment rate for those aged 55 and older decreased to 4.4% in November from 5.0% in October.

In Ontario, the unemployment rate among population groups designated as visible minorities was estimated at 7.7% in November 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 8.9% in November compared to a 5.7% rate for the non-Indigenous population. The unemployment rate for the Indigenous population includes the rate for First Nations people living off reserve (9.3%) and individuals who identify as Métis (8.1%) (data are three-month moving averages and are not adjusted for seasonality).

Unemployment rate by urban centre

In November, the average unemployment rate increased from October in ten of the sixteen Ontario Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs). The largest increases were seen in Kingston (4.8% in October to 5.8% in November), Greater Sudbury (5.3% to 6.1%) and Windsor (7.1% to 7.6%).

Four CMAs had average unemployment rates that decreased in November, led by Belleville (6.5% in October to 4.9% in November), Ottawa-Gatineau (4.9% to 4.1%) and Guelph (6.0% to 5.8%).

The average unemployment rate was unchanged in London (5.8%) and Barrie (4.7%) in November.

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

Long-term unemployment

In November, an estimated 93,800 Ontarians or 18.3% of all unemployed people were unemployed for 27 weeks or longer (long-term unemployed). This compared to 93,500 Ontarians or 17.8% of all unemployed people in October and 76,100 or 16.3% of all unemployed people a year earlier in November 2022.

The average time in unemployment was 18.3 weeks in November, slightly above the average in October (18.1 weeks) but below the average in November 2022 (19.2 weeks).

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

Average hourly wages by sex, age and industry

The average hourly wage rate in Ontario for employees was $35.47 in November, above the average rate across Canada ($34.28). Ontario’s average hourly wage rate in November rose by 5.4% on a year-over-year basis (by $1.81 from $33.66 in November 2022) which was above the 5.2% increase in October.

November’s wage growth (5.4%) was above the growth seen in the Ontario Consumer Price Index (CPI) as of October (3.3%). 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 November 2023.

The average hourly wage rate was $32.80 for women in November, rising by 4.4% ($1.38) from $31.42 in November 2022. For men, the average hourly wage rate was $38.08, an increase of 6.3% ($2.25) from $35.83 a year earlier.

For youth aged 15 to 24, the average hourly wage rate was $20.59 in November, an increase of 3.9% ($0.77) from $19.82 in November 2022. The average hourly wage rate for individuals aged 25 to 54 rose to $38.02 in November, up 4.7% ($1.71) from $36.31 a year earlier. The average hourly wage rate for those aged 55 and older increased by 7.0% ($2.46) to $37.47 in November from $35.01 a year earlier.

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

1. Agriculture: +12.3% ($2.91) to $26.55
2. Business, building and other support services: +11.1% ($2.86) to $28.74
3. Construction: +9.4% ($3.20) to $37.23

Only two industries experienced a decrease in average hourly wage rate in November compared to a year earlier:

1. Other services (except public administration): -0.5% (-$0.14) to $29.38
2. Utilities: -0.2% (-$0.08) to $53.12

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

November 2023 Labour Market Report:

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

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