Vacancies still on the rise in record numbers

The number of job vacancies in Canada continues to set a month-on-month record, Statistics Canada reports in its detailed mid-year labor market review.

Martin Vallieres
The Press

Thus, for a third consecutive month in June, the number of vacant positions rose by 3.2% over one year to reach a new peak of one million thirty-seven thousand positions to be filled by employers in Canada. The previous month, in May, this number had risen to one million five thousand vacancies.

Measured as a proportion of total employment, the job vacancy rate was 5.9% in June. This is a percentage point higher than the rate of 4.9% measured a year earlier, in June 2021.

Among the most populous provinces, Quebec is at the top of the list with a job vacancy rate measured at 6.7% in June. This is much higher than the rate of 5.5% measured in Ontario and the rate of 5% observed in Alberta, but a little less than the rate of 7.1% measured in British Columbia.

Moreover, Statistics Canada notes that the number of job vacancies now exceeds the number of unemployed in four provinces: Quebec, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Among the main sectors of activity, Statistics Canada observes that the hotel and restaurant sector continued in mid-year to post the greatest number and the highest percentage of job vacancies.

The health care and social services sector ranks second in terms of the number of vacancies, but well ahead in terms of the year-on-year increase (+40%) in the number of vacancies.