Durham Region’s Changing Population — What It Means for Our Workforce
Durham Region continues to be one of Ontario’s fastest-growing areas. Between 2016 and 2021, the population increased by over 10% in Clarington and Oshawa alone, with nearly 183,000 people moving into the region over five years. Most new arrivals were 25–44, demonstrating Durham’s growing appeal as a place to live and work.
This influx creates both opportunities and challenges. With more people entering the region, housing, transit, health care, and employment services demand rises. It also means a more dynamic, younger labour pool that employers can tap into—if the right supports and training programs are in place.
However, consideration should be given to who participates in the labour force and under what conditions. For instance, 75.6% of residents with postsecondary credentials are in the workforce, but this drops significantly to 32.7% for those without a diploma or degree. This gap speaks to the need for equitable access to skills training and credential recognition—especially for newcomers and underrepresented groups.
Finally, as the population ages—more than 100,000 Durham residents are 65 or older—retirement rates are expected to rise, impacting sectors like skilled trades and health care. Succession planning, mentorship, and targeted youth training programs will be key to maintaining workforce stability.
About the DWA:
The DWA creates an annual plan supplying helpful information for community planning. The DWA hosts Jobs First Durham (JFD) a boutique job board with hyper-local information.
The DWA provides just-in-time custom labour market information and often conducts custom fee-for-service research. If you are interested in local data, please don’t hesitate to contact the DWA.
The Province of Ontario partially funds the DWA to supply Labour Market Information (LMI) to the Region of Durham.