Ontario Adds 25,500 Jobs in July

Breaking News, GTA Weekly News
Brad Duguid Minister of Economic Development and Growth

Province Focused on Supporting Job Creation and Helping People Get Ahead

Ontario’s economy continues to perform strongly, adding 25,500 jobs in July. There was an increase of 17,600 full-time jobs and 7,900 part-time jobs.

Employment in Ontario is up 137,900 jobs, year over year. The province’s unemployment rate has been below the national average for 28 consecutive months.

The employment increase was led by gains in the information, culture and recreation, wholesale and retail trade and business, building and other support services sectors.

Highlighted in the province’s 2017 First Quarter Ontario Economic Accounts, Ontario’s real GDP grew one per cent in the first quarter of 2017, outperforming Canada, the United States and all other G7 countries. This builds on a 0.5 per cent boost to real GDP posted in the fourth quarter of 2016.

Increased business investment and consumer spending were the primary drivers behind the overall GDP increase. Business investment grew 5.5 per cent, with residential construction rising by nearly eight per cent.

Building on this economic momentum, Ontario is taking historic action to create more opportunity and security for workers with a plan for Fair Workplaces and Better Jobs. This includes hiking the minimum wage, ensuring part-time workers are paid the same hourly wage as full-time workers, introducing paid sick days for every worker and stepping up enforcement of employment laws.

The government will continue to work with business as these changes are implemented to ensure Ontario’s competitive economic environment continues to support the creation of new, good jobs for people across the province.

Supporting Ontario workers and businesses is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.

Quick Facts

  • On a year-over-year basis, employment has increased in many economic regions across the province, including Muskoka-Kawarthas (11.2 per cent), Hamilton-Niagara Peninsula (5.3 per cent) and Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie (4.9 per cent).
  • The 2017 Burden Reduction Report identified $29.3 million in savings, bringing the total amount of burden reduction savings to $152 million since 2011.
  • Ontario new motor vehicle sales increased 2.5 per cent in May, the fourth increase in five months. On a year‐to‐date basis, Ontario new motor vehicle sales increased 5.3 per cent over the first five months of 2017, compared to the same period in 2016.
  • Ontario wholesale trade edged up 0.1 per cent in May, the sixth consecutive monthly increase. Wholesale trade rose 9.3 per cent over the first five months of 2017, compared to the same period in 2016.
  • Employment in 2017 is forecast to increase by 1.3 per cent, or 94,000 net new jobs. In 2016, Ontario employment increased by 1.1 per cent, equaling 76,400 net new jobs.

Additional Resources

Quotes

“Our government has made economic growth and job creation our top priority, and our efforts are clearly paying off. We have worked hard to ensure an economic environment that is positive and allows the private sector to create good jobs and drive economic growth.”

Brad Duguid

Minister of Economic Development and Growth

Media Contacts

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