TORONTO — A new report suggests the Canadian labour market has steadied in the second quarter after a slow start to the year. Indeed Canada’s economist Brendon Bernard says slowing population growth brought the working-age employment rate to its highest level since mid-2024. Even as the employment rate steadied, Bernard says slow job growth is likely to continue through the rest of the year amid a drop in newcomers and more workers retiring from the workforce. Meanwhile, many job-seekers are continuing to face prolonged unemployment spells. Still, Bernard says firmer conditions in the second quarter show the labour market’s resilience amid an otherwise soft economy. The report also found job postings remained broadly flat from a year ago in most sectors, while health care and education saw a notable pullback, which could suggest labour shortages in those sectors have started to ease. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 28, 2026.
