Quebec’s employment rate has surpassed Ontario’s since 2018 and the gap is widening in our favor. When it comes to work, the important thing is that as many people as possible can work. A more accurate indicator is the employment rate, ie the proportion of 15-64 year olds working.
In September 2018, before the CAQ government took office, the employment rate was 75.1% in Quebec and 73.2% in Ontario. A gap of 1.9 percentage points in favor of Quebec. As of October 2023, the employment rate was 78.1% in Quebec and 74.2% in Ontario. A gap of 3.9 percentage points in favor of Quebec. This means that among people of working age, Quebec surpasses Ontario and the gap more than doubles.
Another well-known indicator is the unemployment rate, which is the proportion of people looking for work. In September 2018, the unemployment rate was 5.5% in Quebec and 5.9% in Ontario. In October 2023, it will be 4.9% in Quebec and 6.4% in Ontario. This means that since the arrival of the CAQ government, the unemployment rate has fallen in Quebec while it has (very slightly) increased in Ontario.
Jobs are done
Obviously, if someone is trying to make Quebec look bad, they can point to the number of jobs that have been created. In this respect, Ontario is unbeatable because of its large population increase, mainly through immigration. On the other hand, if we put the numbers in perspective, the picture is very different. From September 2018 to October 2023, Ontario’s labor force increased by 8.4%, but the number of jobs increased by 7.9%. In Quebec, the active population increased by 4.5%, but jobs by 5.2%.
In conclusion, all indicators – employment rate, unemployment rate, job creation – show that since the CAQ government came to power, Quebec has surpassed Ontario in terms of employment.
