Strong job numbers mask reality of struggling young workers

OTTAWA – The country’s strong job numbers aren’t providing the full picture when it comes to the participation rate of young workers in the economy, according to analysis by Canada’s unions.

While unemployment rates continue to fall overall, many Canadians aged 15 to 29 are staying in school or giving up looking for work altogether, according to the Canadian Labour Congress’ (CLC) latest Labour Market Snapshot. The quarterly analysis is based on Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Surveys (April to June).

“The headlines trumpeting a strong economy do not reflect the reality for young people,” said CLC President Hassan Yussuff. “Far too many are struggling to find decent work and that’s deeply worrying because of the direct economic impact it has on our communities.”

In particular, the number of people aged 25 to 29 who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET) has remained high since the 2008-2009 recession. This is when most Canadians have finished their formal education and should be able to find meaningful work that matches their education and training.

“These trends underscore the need to invest in young Canadians by making sure that quality jobs await them once they decide to join the labour market,” said Yussuff.

Read the the full Labour Market Snapshot here.

For more information and to set up an interview, please contact:

Joel Duff
CLC Communications
613-526-7447
Email: jduff@clcctc.ca