Province Focused on Supporting Job Creation and Helping People Get Ahead
Employment in Ontario increased by 5,200 jobs in October, the fourth straight month of job gains.
Employment in Ontario is up by 149,200 jobs, year over year. The province’s unemployment rate has been below the national average for 31 consecutive months.
According to the 2017-18 First Quarter Finances, Ontario is on track to balance the budget this year while making investments in the programs and services people and their families rely on most.
Building on this strong economic performance, Ontario is taking historic action to create more opportunity and security for workers with a plan for Fair Workplaces and Better Jobs. This includes raising 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.
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
- Employment growth has occurred in many economic regions across the province, including Muskoka-Kawarthas (5.1 per cent), Hamilton-Niagara Peninsula (5.0 per cent) and Kitchener-Waterloo-Barrie (4.7 per cent).
- The employment increase was led by gains in the information, culture and recreation, accommodation and food services and construction sectors. The unemployment rate was 5.9 per cent.
- Ontario real gross domestic product (GDP) increased 0.8 per cent in the second quarter of 2017, after rising 1.0 per cent in the first quarter.
- Ontario manufacturing sales rose 3.2 per cent over the first eight months of 2017, compared to the same period in 2016.
- Employment in 2017 is forecast to increase by 1.4 per cent or 99,000 net new jobs. In 2016, Ontario employment increased by 1.1 per cent or 76,400 net new jobs.
- Ontario’s five-year, $650-million Business Growth Initiative is helping to grow the economy and create jobs by promoting an innovation-based economy, helping small companies scale-up and modernizing regulations for businesses.
Additional Resources
Quotes
“Ontario is supporting a positive environment where employers are creating good jobs and the province’s talented workforce is supplying them. October’s job numbers show our economy continues its positive momentum, but we know there is more work to do. We will continue to invest in our future to make our economy more globally competitive, growing it and creating jobs in the process.”
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