The Economics and Statistics Division maintains archives of previous publications for accountability purposes, but makes no updates to keep these documents current with the latest data revisions from Statistics Canada. As a result, information in older documents may not be accurate. Please exercise caution when referring to older documents. For the latest information and historical data, please contact the individual listed to the right.
<--- Return to Archive
For additional information relating to this article, please contact:
November 06, 2020LABOUR MARKET TRENDS - OCTOBER 2020 Labour force survey results reflect the period from October 11 to 17, during which several provinces had tightened public health measure after rising COVID-19 cases. Measures were more targeted than in March and April; directed at areas were transmission risk is believed to be greater: indoor restaurants, bars, and recreational facilities.
Nova Scotia's seasonally adjusted employment level was up 2,800 (+0.6%) in October following on the recovery of 62,900 jobs in the previous five months. Nova Scotia’s employment had previously declined 50,600 in April and 24,800 in March.
Nova Scotia’s employment remains 12,500 (-2.7%) lower than pre-COVID-19 levels in February 2020. Nova Scotia has recovered about 83.4% (62,900) of the peak employment losses reported in April (-75,400). In comparison, Canada has recovered 77% (2.326 million) of April peak employment losses (-3.004 million).
Nova Scotia’s labour force increased 7,900 (+1.6%) at 502,400 for October. The labour force in October 2020 is smaller by 8,500 (-1.7%) than February 2020. The number of unemployed persons was up 4,900 compared to September and is 4,000 persons higher than February as people rejoined the labour market in September.
With employment growing slower than the labour force, the unemployment rate increased 0.8 percentage points last month to 8.7 per cent October. This is higher than the unemployment rate observed prior to COVID-19 (7.8 per cent in February), and the participation rate remains lower.
The population not in the labour force decreased 7,200 compared to last month. Compared to February 2020, there are an additional 14,300 persons not in the labour force and 4,000 more unemployed.
In October, full-time employment increased 10,600 (2.9%) while part-time employment decreased 7,800 (-8.5%). Employment since February 2020 is lower by 5,900 (-1.6%) in full-time jobs and lower by 6,600 (-7.3%) in part-time employment. Changes in the number of hours worked within one job can results in shift employment between part-time and full-time.
The participation rate was up 0.9 percentage points to 61.3% in October but remains 1.5 percentage points below the level observed in February 2020. The employment rate was up 0.3 percentage points to 56.0% in October 2020 but remains 1.9 percentage points below the rate observed in February 2020.
Comparing averages for Jan-Oct 2020 with Jan-Oct 2019, Nova Scotia labour force fell 2.3% and employment has been 5.4% lower. The average unemployment rate is 3.0 percentage points higher at 10.1%.
In addition to those who have lost employment since February 2020, there are elevated numbers of persons who are counted as employed, but had zero hours (and not for routine reasons like vacation, maternity/parental leave, labour dispute) or had their hours cut by 50% or more. In October 2020 in Nova Scotia there were 26,700 persons employed but at less than 50 per cent of their usual hours (including zero hours), down from 40,600 in September and still elevated by 7,200 compared to 19,700 in February. Combined with those who have lost employment, this amounts to about 4.4 per cent of Nova Scotia’s February 2020 employment level; down from a high of 26.3 per cent in May. The largest total employment/hour impact in October 2020 was in Alberta at 7.8 per cent of February's employment level. The smallest change was in Newfoundland and Labrador (2.1%).
Statistics Canada reported in supplemental information that Nova Scotia had an increase of 3,100 (Feb-20 to Oct-20) of people who were not in the labour force but wanted to work to 16,300 people. This is down from the 55,500 people in April 2020.
The labour underutilization rate (COVID-19 impact definition) is the proportion of the potential labour force (labour force + those wanting work) that is unemployed, not in labour force but wanted work or employed but have lost the majority of their usual hours.
Rising labour underutilization observed in every province during March and April has started to come down over the summer months. In February 2020, Nova Scotia's labour underutilization rate was 13.9%. This underutilization increased to 36.8% in April 2020 and has subsequently fallen to 16.7% in October 2020. The current highest labour underutilization rate is in Newfoundland and Labrador (24.2%) and the lowest rate is in Manitoba (14.1%).
Age Cohorts
The unemployment rate was up on a monthly basis in October for youth, core-aged and older workers in Nova Scotia. From September to October 2020, unemployment rate increased 2.0 percentage points to 13.9% for youth workers (ages 15-24), 0.5 percentage points to 7.3% for core-aged workers (ages 25-54) and 0.9 percentage points to 9.4% for older workers (ages 55+).
The participation rate for younger Nova Scotians increased 1.9 percentage points to 64.6% in October 2020. For core-aged workers, the participation rate was up 1.3 percentage points to 87.7% while the participation rate for older workers increased 0.2 percentage points to 33.2% in October.
Compared to September 2020, employment rates were up for youth and core-aged workers but down for older workers in Nova Scotia. Employment rate for youth increased 0.3 percentage points to 55.6% and 0.7 percentage points to 81.3% for core-aged workers. For older workers, the employment rate was down 0.1 percentage points to 30.1%.
Compared with February 2020, employment rates were down for youth (-7.4 percentage points), but less so for core-aged workers (-0.8 percentage points) and older workers (-1.2 percentage points).
Comparing October to February 2020, the decline in employment mostly lines up with declines in labour force for youth. For core-aged and older workers, the decline in employment shows up in increased unemployment instead of a decline in the labour force.
Males and Females
In October, the monthly unemployment rate increased 1.9 percentage points to 10.2% for males but declined 0.2 percentage points to 7.1% for females.
The monthly participation rate was up both for males and females. The participation rate increased 1.2 percentage points to 64.6% for males and 0.7 percentage points to 58.3% for females.
The employment rate was down 0.1 percentage points for males but up 0.7 percentage points for females.
Compared with February 2020, male labour force was down 4,000 (-1.5%) in October while female labour force was down 4,400 (-1.8%). Male employment was down 7,300 (-3.1%) while female employment was down 5,200 (-2.2%). The number of unemployed males was up 3,300 and the number of unemployed females was up 700. The male population not in the labour force increased by 6,800 from February to October while the number of females not in the labour force grew by 7,300.
Sectors and Industries
The monthly employment increases in October were among private sector employees (+4,600) employees and public sector employees (+800). Self-employed declined 2,700 in October after increasing 3,900. Compared to February 2020, employment remains lower in the private sector (-20,900) and self-employment (-800) while public sector employees (+9,100) is higher.
For October 2020, goods-producing sector employment (+1,800) increased with gains in agriculture (+2,700) and construction (+300) offsetting a decline in forestry, fishing, mining and oil and gas (-1,400). Service-producing sector employment gained 1,100 jobs after the 11,500 increase last month. Increases occurred in wholesale and retail trade (+1,400), professional, scientific and technical services (+1,100), educational services (+2,000) and accommodation and food service (+1,900).
Employment since February 2020 remains 3,700 lower in goods-producing industries with the lower employment levels in manufacturing (-3,100), forestry, fishing and mining (-2,200) and construction (-900). Agriculture (+2,000) and utilities (+500) have higher employment levels than February 2020.
Service-producing employment is lower by 8,700 since February 2020 with the lower levels in wholesale and retail trade (-9,900), accommodation and food service (-4,500), and information, culture and recreation (-3,200) accounting for the largest number of job losses that have not been recovered.
Employment levels in October 2020 are also lower in transportation and warehousing (-1,200), business, building and other support services (-1,700), and health care and social assistance (-1,700) than February 2020.
Employment levels are higher in October 2020 than February 2020 in educational services (+6,300), professional, scientific, and technical services (+3,600), finance, insurance and real estate (+1,400), and personal/repair (other) services (+800).
Regions – September 2020 vs September 2019 (unadjusted 3 month moving average)
Compared with October 2019, Cape Breton employment decline by 2,300 while the labour force is down 3,000. The number of unemployed declined 700 and the unemployment rate declined 0.5 percentage points to 12.6%.
For the North Shore region, the labour force declined by 5,000 while employment was down by 4,700. The number of unemployed declined by 200 and the unemployment rate increased 0.2 percentage points to 7.2%.
The Annapolis Valley reported a decline of 4,800 in the labour force and a decline of 5,600 in employment. Unemployment was up by 800. As a result, the unemployment rate increased 1.9 percentage points 7.9%.
Compared to a year ago, the Southern region experienced an increase of 1,100 in labour force and an increase of 200 in employment in October. The number of unemployed increased by 900 while the unemployment rate increased 1.5 percentage points to 10.6%.
In Halifax region, the labour force recorded an increased of 2,400 while employment was down by 2,200 in October. With unemployment increasing by 4,600, the unemployment rate increased 1.7 percentage points to 8.0%. The number of persons not in the labour force increased by 5,900 in Halifax from a year ago.
Provincial Comparisons
Seven provinces reported increasing employment in October along with declines of 0.3% in each of Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The largest employment increases was in Newfoundland and Labrador (+2.7%). Nationally employment was up 0.5%.
Compared to February 2020, the labour force remains lower only in four provinces while nationally it has recovered (+0.2%). The largest decline in the labour force since February 2020 has been in Prince Edward Island (-3.1%).
All provinces report lower employment in October than February. The largest employment declines since February is Prince Edward Island (-5.2%) and Alberta (-4.4%). The smallest employment decline is in Newfoundland and Labrador (-0.5%).
Unemployment rates declined in six provinces in October 2020 in all the provinces, increasing in the other four provinces. The highest unemployment rate for October 2020 is in Newfoundland and Labrador at 12.8% and the lowest is in Saskatchewan at 6.4%. Canada’s unemployment rate was 8.9% in October 2020.
National Comparisons: Cities (Monthly, 3 month moving average)
The unemployment rate for Halifax Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) in October 2020 was 7.7% (seasonally adjusted 3 month moving average). Quebec City at 4.5% had the lowest unemployment rate among CMAs while the highest was in Edmonton (12.0%).
The seasonally adjusted employment rate for Halifax was 62.5%, up 0.8 percentage points compared to last month. Peterborough, Ontario (47.9%) had the lowest employment rate, while Barrie, Ontario (65.3%) had the highest.
Halifax’s employment (3 month moving average) for September 2020 was up 1.4 % compared to the September 2020 result. The employment level (Aug-Oct average compared to Jul-Sep average) was up in most CMAs this month with the largest increase in St. Catharines-Niagara (3.1%).
Note: Seasonally adjusted, 3 month average.
Sources:
Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0287-01 Labour force characteristics, monthly, seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle, last 5 months
Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0294-01 Labour force characteristics by census metropolitan area, three-month moving average, seasonally adjusted and unadjusted, last 5 months
Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0293-01 Labour force characteristics by economic region, three-month moving average, unadjusted for seasonality, last 5 months
Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0355-01 Employment by industry, monthly, seasonally adjusted and unadjusted, and trend-cycle, last 5 months (x 1,000)
Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0288-01 Employment by class of worker, monthly, seasonally adjusted and unadjusted, last 5 months (x 1,000)
<--- Return to Archive