Census Metropolitan Unemployment Rates Across Ontario
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The Unemployment Rate Comparison graph provides a visual display of the monthly unemployment rates for various Census Metropolitan Areas (CMA) across Ontario. The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed persons expressed as a percentage of the labour force. Estimates are percentages, rounded to the nearest tenth.
The Oshawa CMA is comprised of Oshawa, Whitby and Clarington. The Oshawa CMA is used as a data proxy in Durham Region as Pickering, Ajax and Uxbridge are part of the Toronto CMA and Brock and Scugog are not surveyed in the monthly report due to population size. The Oshawa CMA includes the most Durham Region residents and provides the best depiction of the labour market in the Region as a whole.
The Unemployment Rate Comparison graph reflects many of the job losses and recoveries experienced across various areas in the Greater Golden Horseshoe as a result of COVID-19. Now over a year and a half into COVID, we are seeing some of the extended effects of COVID-19 on the Canadian economy. Initially, in March 2020 as public health measures were first implemented, there was a spike in all areas across the Greater Golden Horseshoe. We saw a gradual decline throughout the summer and into the autumn months as various businesses began to re-open after the first wave of the virus.
In Ontario, the highest unemployment rate among the comparators in August 2021 was Windsor at 11.2% The lowest unemployment rate among the comparators continues to be the Peterborough CMA which saw a slight reduction from 7% to 6.5%. Looking forward the data should reflect the easing of stricter public health measures introduced across the country.
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0378-01, Labour force characteristics, three-month moving average, unadjusted for seasonality (August 2021).