(seasonally unadjusted)
In October 2019, the unemployment rate1 in the tourism sector was at 4.6%, which is 0.3 percentage points higher than the rate reported in October 2018, and higher than the previous month (September 2019), when the unemployment rate stood at 4.5%.
At 4.6%, tourism’s unemployment rate was below Canada’s seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate of 5.0%.
With the exception of Recreation & Entertainment and Transportation, all tourism industry groups have reported lower unemployment rates than the same month last year (Table 1).
On a provincial basis, tourism unemployment rates ranged from 3.4% in British Columbia to 8.0% in Nova Scotia.
The seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates for tourism in each province, with the exceptions of Nova Scotia, Quebec, and Saskatchewan, were below the rates reported for the provincial economy (Figure 1).
Tourism employment comprised 10.8% of the total Canadian labour force for the month of October.
| Tourism Industry Group2 | Unemployment Rate – October 2018 |
Unemployment Rate – October 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| Tourism | 4.3% | 4.6% |
| Accommodations | 7.4% | 7.0% |
| Food and Beverage | 4.9% | 4.9% |
| Recreation and Entertainment | 4.1% | 5.0% |
| Transportation | 2.0% | 2.9% |
| Travel Services | 3.1% | N/A |
1 To determine unemployment rates, industrial (NAICS) classifications are based on the most recent job held within the past year, and are self-identified by the respondent. Unemployed persons are those who, during the reference period, were available for work but were on temporary layoff, were without work, or were to start a new job within four weeks.
2 As defined by the Canadian Tourism Satellite Account. The NAICS industries included in the tourism sector are those that would cease to exist or operate at a significantly reduced level of activity as a direct result of an absence of tourism. Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey, customized tabulations. Based on data for the week ending October 19, 2019.