Territory’s labour force is on the rebound

The Yukon economy and labour force are showing some signs of recovery following some heavy damage inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Tim Giilck on December 10, 2020

The Yukon economy and labour force are showing some signs of recovery following some heavy damage inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest figures provided by the Yukon Bureau of Statistics show the seasonally-adjusted labour force totalled 21,500 people in November.

Last month, the Yukon’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.2 per cent.

Canada’s jobless rate for the month was 8.5 per cent.

Compared to the figures for October 2020, the Yukon’s seasonally adjusted labour force (21,500) increased by 200; the number of employed (20,600) rose by 500; and the number of unemployed (900) fell by 400.

While the current numbers mark a decrease of about 800 people, or 3.6 per cent, from the same point in 2019, Yukon Bureau of Statistics spokesperson Gary Brown said it’s indicating a modest upswing from last spring, when the virus crushed the labour market locally.

He said the labour forced dropped by 1,100 people in April/May of this year, and has been slowly rebounding since.

Approximately 800 people have migrated into the Yukon since the pandemic started, Brown said.

Consequently, the numbers could also be viewed as balancing each out since most of the incoming people are moving for new employment.

The trend is shifting in the right direction, and the percentage is very good, Brown said.

Comments (8)

Up 12 Down 8

JC on Dec 11, 2020 at 3:31 pm

Did they factor in low paid workers who have to have 2 and 3 jobs to make a half decent living? I talked to many who can't live on the wages of just one job. So, is the Gov. counting the jobs held or the employed workers?

Up 13 Down 11

JC on Dec 11, 2020 at 3:26 pm

Mathew, your right. The Lib gov. closed everything down causing unemployment to go up. Now, that people are back to work, the Libs will take all the credit for it. And I too would like to be a part of any discussion. But, I'm sure that won't happen. The Libs don't want to look like losers. And they have the media on their side always making them look like heroes. The Libs got plenty of money for any other kind of discussions, but nothing for anything like this.

Up 9 Down 1

richard yeeter on Dec 11, 2020 at 12:36 pm

@But will it last?
These numbers are seasonally-adjusted as all modern labour statistics are they factor in seasonal jobs.

Up 12 Down 3

But will it last? on Dec 11, 2020 at 10:55 am

For the Christmas season, anyway. We shall see after the holidays.

Up 19 Down 10

Harvey on Dec 11, 2020 at 4:54 am

@Matthew, you might command a better audience at the A & Dub.

Up 24 Down 3

Sheepchaser on Dec 10, 2020 at 10:51 pm

These numbers are mostly horse manure. A reinterpretation of reality. A whole bunch of vulnerable (read old) Yukoners left their jobs and new folks flooded in to replace them. Many secure jobs ended and few replacements were on the same terms as their predecessors. You have to be a couple decades behind on quantitative analysis not to cut these numbers by the quality of employment, not just the overall figures. A young subset of underemployed new arrivals is not a good exchange. Let’s not cook the numbers on top of the rest of the spin, please.

Up 62 Down 40

Matthew on Dec 10, 2020 at 1:02 pm

Never forgot it was the government who created this mess! There was NO reason to shut the economy down!
Mass evictions (coming),
mass unemployment,
bankruptcies on the rise,
Food bank use on the rise..
Government workers and their salaries on the rise... this all creates a massive divide with the citizens.. Silver, Hanley, or Bagnell if you read this I'm open for a public discussion. You can get my contact info from the Star.

Up 8 Down 19

Wilf Carter on Dec 10, 2020 at 12:26 pm

This is called natural regression and progression in our economy after the situation we had and federal programs had nothing to do with it as our MP will say.

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