(seasonally unadjusted)
In August 2019, the unemployment rate1 in the tourism sector was at 4.9%, which is 0.2 percentage points lower than the rate reported in August 2018, but higher than the previous month (July 2019), when the unemployment rate stood at 4.7%.
At 4.9%, tourism’s unemployment rate was well below Canada’s seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate of 6.3%.
With the exception of Accommodations and Recreation & Entertainment, 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 0.0% in Prince Edward Island to 6.5% in Alberta.
The seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates for tourism in each province, with the exception of Quebec, were below the rates reported for the provincial economy (Figure 1).
Tourism employment comprised 11.4% of the total Canadian labour force for the month of August.
| Tourism Industry Group2 | Unemployment Rate – August 2018 |
Unemployment Rate – August 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| Tourism | 5.1% | 4.9% |
| Accommodations | 3.1% | 5.1% |
| Food and Beverage | 5.8% | 5.3% |
| Recreation and Entertainment | 4.1% | 4.6% |
| Transportation | 5.9% | 5.3% |
| 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 August 17, 2019.