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:
March 10, 2023LABOUR MARKET TRENDS, FEBRUARY 2023 December labour force survey results reflect the period from February 12-18.
Ages 15+ (February 2023 vs January 2023, seasonally adjusted)
Nova Scotia's seasonally adjusted employment decreased 4,700 (-0.9%) to 496,900 in February 2023. This partialy reverses the 9,400 increase in employment reported in January.
The change in employment was attributable to declines in both full-time employment (-3,700) and part-time employment (-1,000). Note that changes in full-time and part-time employment can also reflect changing hours for the same job.
Nova Scotia’s labour force decreased by 1,000 (-0.2%) to 527,100 in February 2023, following a gain of 3,500 in January 2023.
With labour force falling slower than employment, Nova Scotia's unemployment rate increased from 5.0% in January 2023 to 5.7% in February 2023. This is still nearly a historic low unemployment rate in modern LFS data that starts in 1976. Annual unemployment rates were lower in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Nova Scotia's labour force participation rate was down 0.2 percentage points to 61.8% in February 2023. The employment rate was down 0.7 percentage points at 58.2% in February 2023.
Ages 15+ (February 2023 vs February 2022, seasonally adjusted)
Compared with February of 2022, Nova Scotia's population over the age of 15 had increased by 21,900 (+2.6%) while the labour force grew by 13,100 (+2.5%) and employment increased by 15,500 (+3.2%). The unemployment rate decreased by 0.6 percentage points with the participation rate unchanged and the employment rate up 0.3 percentage points.
Ages 15+ (January-February 2023 vs January-February 2022, seasonally adjusted)
Compared with January-February of 2022, Nova Scotia's population over the age of 15 had increased by 21,800 (+2.6%) while the labour force grew by 14,800 (+2.9%) and employment increased by 20,200 (+4.2%). The unemployment rate decreased by 1.2 percentage points with the participation rate up by 0.2 percentage points and the employment rate up 0.9 percentage points.
Age Cohorts (February 2023 vs January 2022, seasonally adjusted)
Among youth (ages 15-24), employment increased by 900 (+1.4%) while the labour force increased by 1,400 (+1.8%). With a larger rise in the labour force than employment, the youth unemployment rate was up 0.4 percentage point to 12.9% in Februray2023. The increase in the youth labour force increased the youth participation rate 1.1 percentage points to 68.9% while the youth employment rate increased 0.7 percentage points to 60.0%.
The population aged 25-54 makes up the largest part of the labour force. In the core age group, employment was down by 5,200 (-1.6%) and the labour force decreased by 3,700 (-1.1%). Because employment decreased more than the labour force, the core aged unemployment rate was up 0.5 percentage points to 3.9% in February 2023. The core aged participation rate declined by 1.2 percentage points to 87.0% while the core aged employment rate decreased 1.6 percentage points to 83.6%.
Older workers (aged 55+) reported an increase in labour force (+1,400 or +1.1%) and a small employment decline (-300 or -0.3%). With labour force increasing and employment decreasing, the older worker unemployment rate increased 1.3 percentage points to 6.0%. The older worker participation rate was up 0.3 percentage points to 34.2% and the employment rate for older workers was down 0.1 percentage points to at 32.2%.
Males and Females (Ages 15+, February 2023 vs January 2023, seasonally adjusted)
Monthly employment decreased by 3,400 (-1.3%) for males while the labour force grew by 700 (+0.3%). With a decrease in employment and rising labour force, the male unemployment rate increased 1.5 percentage points to 6.7% in January. The male participation rate was unchanged at 64.6% while the male employment rate was down 1.0 percentage points to 60.3%.
Females reported decreases in both labour force (-1,700 or -0.6%) and employment (-1,400 or -0.6%). As the labour force declines was similar to the employment decline, the female unemployment rate decreased 0.1 percentage point to 4.8% in February. Female participation rates were down 0.5 percentage points to 59.0% and the female employment rate was down 0.5 percentage points to 56.2%.
Overall, last month's labour force decline was concentrated among core aged workers and women. The employment decline was in the core-working age group and males with a smaller employment decline for females.
Age and sex cohorts (January 2023 vs January 2022, seasonally adjusted)
Compared with February 2022, the latest month's labour force growth was concentrated among core aged workers (whose population is also growing faster than others). Youth reported a small gain in population, labour force, and employment. Older workers reported declining labour force, despite rising populations. Employment gains over the last year also concentrated among core aged workers. Unemployment was down for all cohorts except youth. Female employment and labour force increases were larger than males over the past year.
Age and sex cohorts (January-February 2023 vs January-February 2022, seasonally adjusted)
Comparing the first two months of 2023 with same months last year, labour force and employment gains are mostly among core aged workers. Youth labour force is rising more than employment, increasing unemployment. Among older workers, employment has risen while the labour force declined. Although there were similar population increases, the labour force and employment among females has increased more than among males.
Class of Worker and Industry (February 2023 vs January 2023, seasonally adjusted)
The February 2023 employment change reflected decreases in private sector workers (-3,300 or -1.0%) and public sector workers (-2,000 or -1.6%), partially offset by rising self-employed (+600 or +1.0%)
Classified by industry, the employment change from January to February reflected notable decreases in construction, wholesale trade and business support services. Manufacturing with an increase of 2,200 was the only sector with notable increase in February.
Class of Worker and Industry (February 2023 vs February 2022, seasonally adjusted)
Compared to February 2022, there was a large gain in employment for private sector workers (+17,300 or +5.7%), small change for public sector workers (+600 or +0.5%) while self employment was down (-2,400 or -4.0%).
Over the last 12 months, employment by industry has risen most for personal/repair, information/culture/recreation, public administration, and professional/technical services. There were employment losses in business support services, agriculture, health and social assistance, utilities, and transportation/warehousing.
Class of Worker and Industry (January-February 2023 vs January-February 2022, seasonally adjusted)
The average employment levels for January-February 2023 compared to January-February 2022 increased for private sector (+20,800 or 6.9%) and public sector (+2,300 or 2.0%) and decreased for self-employed (-3,000 or -4.9%). The first two months average employment had most notable gains in personal/repair, information/culture/recreation, public administration, and professional/technical. Lower employment was in business support services, agriculture, transportation/warehousing, utilities, and manufacturing.
Hours worked and employment (February 2023, unadjusted)
A share of workers in forestry/fishing/mining, transportation/warehousing, construction and manufacturing worked more than 40 hours per week in February 2023.
Note that some data on those working few hours in utilities and agriculture were suppressed.
Average weekly earnings (unadjusted, both full time and part time, February 2023 vs February 2022)
Average weekly earnings increased by 6.3% from February 2022 to February 2023. The fastest gains in average weekly earnings were in agriculture, business support/call centres, utilities, wholesale/retail, utilities and finance/insurance/real estate. Average weekly wages were down in information/culture/recreation, and education.
The increase in Nova Scotia's all items consumer price index was 6.9% from January 2022 to January 2023.
Average weekly earnings across all employees were $1,043.61 in February 2023. The highest average weekly earnings (both full and part time employees) were reported in utilities, forestry/fishing/mining, public administration, professional/technical services. The lowest average weekly earnings were in accommodation/food services, wholesale/retail trade and information/culture/recreation.
Average weekly earnings (unadjusted, both full time and part time, January-February 2023 vs January-February 2022)
Average weekly earnings for the first two months of the year was 5.9% higher than same months last year. Agriculture, business support/call centres, wholesale/retail, and finance/insurance/real estate reported the fastest growth. Average wages in information/culture/recreation reported the largest decline.
Regions (February 2023 vs February 2022, unadjusted 3 month moving average)
Compared with February 2022, the labour force and employment increase was concentrated in Halifax. The labour force was down in Cape Breton, North Shore, nearly unchanged in the Annapolis Valley and increased in Southern. Employment was up in Annapolis Valley and Southern economic region but declined for North Shore.
Unemployment rates declined in all regions, except North Shore, from February 2022 to February 2023. The participation rate and employment rate only increased for Southern and Halifax.
Regions (January-February 2023 vs January-February 2022, unadjusted 3 month moving average)
For the first two months of 2023, North Shore had only notable labour force and employment decline. Increases in employment and labour force were concentrated in Halifax. Employment was up in Cape Breton, Annapolis Valley and Southern compared to January-February 2022.
Provincial Comparisons (seasonally adjusted)
Canada's labour force grew by 0.2% from January to February. Nova Scotia's labour force declined by 0.2%. Prince Edward Island, Manitoba and British Columbia reported the fastest labour force gains over this period. Newfoundland and Labrador reported the largest decline in labour force over the last month.
Compared with February 2022, national labour force was up 1.7% (2.5% in Nova Scotia). The fastest increase was in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward island reported the only declines.
Canada's employment had an insignificant increase of 22,000 (+0.1%) from January to February. Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, and New Brunswick reported the largest employment gains in February. Nova Scotia reported the largest decline in February after having the largest gain in January.
Compared with February 2022, Nova Scotia's employment was up 3.2% in February 2023, outpacing the national gain of 2.1%. The largest increase was in New Brunswick and the smallest increase was in Manitoba.
The national unemployment rate was 5.0% in February 2023, unchanged from January 2023 and down from 5.4% in February 2022. Quebec had the lowest unemployment rate while Newfoundland and Labrador reported the highest unemployment rate.
The national participation rate was 65.7% in February 2023. The highest participation rates were in Alberta and Saskatchewan while the lowest was in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The national employment rate was 62.4% in February 2023. Alberta reported the highest employment rate while Newfoundland and Labrador reported the lowest.
Census Metropolitan Areas (February 2023, seasonally adjusted 3 month moving average)
The Halifax unemployment rate was 4.7% in the seasonally adjusted February 2023 three month moving average. This was below the national average, with the rest of Nova Scotia above at 6.7%. In central and western provinces, unemployment rates in Census Metropolitan Areas are similar to or higher than unemployment rates outside CMAs. In the Atlantic Provinces unemployment rates are typically higher outside CMAs.
Halifax's participation rate was 68.5% in the seasonally adjusted February 2023 three month moving average while participation rates were 55.9% across the rest of the province.
Halifax reported an employment rate of 65.3% in the seasonally adjusted February 2023 three month moving average while the employment rate was 52.2% outside the city.
Sources: Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0036-01 Actual hours worked by industry, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality; Table 14-10-0063-01 Employee wages by industry, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality; Table 14-10-0287-01 Labour force characteristics, monthly, seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle, last 5 months; Table 14-10-0380-01 Labour force characteristics, three-month moving average, seasonally adjusted; Table 14-10-0387-01 Labour force characteristics, three-month moving average, unadjusted for seasonality, last 5 months; Table 14-10-0355-01 Employment by industry, monthly, seasonally adjusted and unadjusted, and trend-cycle, last 5 months (x 1,000); Table 14-10-0288-01 Employment by class of worker, monthly, seasonally adjusted and unadjusted, last 5 months (x 1,000); Table: 14-10-0380-02 Labour force characteristics, three month moving average, seasonally adjusted (x 1,000)
<--- Return to Archive
