B.C. among top provinces for job growth

April 27, 2021

Canada’s labour market posted a mammoth job gain in March as second-wave reopenings lifted rehiring.

Nationally, employment surged by 303,000 persons (or 1.6%), marking the largest single gain since September. The gap from pre-pandemic employment levels narrowed to 1.5%. Less stringent lockdown conditions, specifically in Ontario, were a significant driver of the increase. The unemployment rate fell to 7.5% from 8.2%, marking the lowest level since the pandemic commenced.

That said, March figures are stale. The third wave has hit hard and fast, triggering stay-at-home orders in Ontario and stricter curfews in Quebec. Alberta and B.C. have tightened measures. Given variant spread, it is possible that more stringent measures will be enacted. A partial rollback in April employment numbers is all but certain.

Source: Business in Vancouver