The job market in Quebec is facing a significant downturn. Recent statistics reveal that the province has experienced a loss of 91,000 jobs since January 2023. This includes a troubling decline of 43,000 jobs in April alone.
Impact on Employment and Unemployment Rates
Montreal has been particularly hard hit, with a loss of 56,000 jobs, translating to a 2.3% drop in employment in the area. Additionally, the unemployment rate in Quebec climbed to 6.2% in April, an increase of 0.8 percentage points.
Sector-Specific Job Losses
- Private sector: A significant portion of the job losses occurred in the private sector, with 34,600 jobs lost in April and a total decline of 62,700 jobs over the past year.
- Full-time positions: The province has seen a striking 110,000 full-time jobs disappear since the beginning of the year, while only 23 part-time positions were created during the same timeframe.
- Construction and manufacturing: Nearly half of the job losses from January are concentrated in these two sectors.
- Financial services: This sector experienced a reduction of about 23,300 jobs.
Economic Challenges
François Vincent, vice president for Quebec at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), stated that many business leaders feel forced to lay off staff due to rising costs. The challenges have been exacerbated by a series of crises, including the pandemic and inflation.
According to Desjardins, the slowdown is not merely a result of tariff increases, but part of a broader economic decline in Quebec. They noted that out of 12 job sectors, only six showed modest employment gains over the past year.
National Context
On a national scale, Canada also saw a slight decline in jobs in April, with an overall reduction of 18,000 jobs. This brings the cumulative job loss since January to 112,000 across the country, marking the worst start to a year since 2009, excluding the pandemic period.
| Province | April Job Variation | Unemployment Rate (April) |
|---|---|---|
| Quebec | -43,300 | 6.2% (+0.8 pt) |
| Ontario | +42,400 | 7.5% (-0.1 pt) |
This ongoing employment crisis in Quebec not only highlights immediate job losses but also raises concerns about the longer-term economic outlook as the province grapples with numerous challenges.
