The Young and the Jobless, Youth Unemployment in Ontario

This report was published by Canadian Centre For Policy Alternatives.

HERE’S HOW THE CREATORS DESCRIBE THIS REPORT:

This report examines lingering post-recession youth joblessness in Ontario. It focuses on labour market trends that impact Ontarians aged 15 – 24. A detailed analysis of the Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey reveals Ontario’s youth continue to suffer from unemployment levels that are twice as high as the overall provincial unemployment level. The data shows that young workers without postsecondary education face substantially higher unemployment rates and substantially lower employment rates than those who have completed a postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree. But Ontario youth with advanced degrees have a 17.1% higher unemployment rate than young workers who have completed high school or any other type of postsecondary education.

The findings in this paper show that young workers are subject to the negative consequences of the same macroeconomic forces that are affecting the rest of the population. This report concludes with a review of the province’s youth employment programs to date and recommends a more robust plan of action. It points to labour market dynamics in places like Sudbury, Waterloo Region and Hamilton ‘ all of which boast youth unemployment rates that are below the Canadian rate ‘ to demonstrate that a better labour market and a brighter future for the young and the jobless in Ontario is possible.

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