Canadian Employment (June 2026)

Canadian employment was largely unchanged from the previous month, with the economy gaining 18,000 jobs (+0.1 per cent) to 21.140 million in June. The employment rate rose by 0.1 points to 60.8 per cent, while the unemployment rate fell by 0.1 points to 6.5 per cent. Average hourly wages rose 3.3 per cent year-over-year to $37.20 in June.
           
Employment in B.C. increased by 0.3 per cent to about 2.937 million, with the provincial economy gaining over 7,800 jobs in June. Employment in Metro Vancouver rose by 0.4 per cent to 1.698 million. The unemployment rate in B.C. fell by 0.3 points to 6.5 per cent, while Vancouver's unemployment rate rose by 0.2 points to 6.6 per cent in June. 

June’s jobs report saw the unemployment rate tick downward to its lowest level since January, with the broader labour market remaining largely similar to May. Private sector growth continued to outpace its public counterpart, gaining 32,000 jobs in June while accounting for the majority of net job creation in the past 12 months. Nonetheless, Canada has lost about 6,300 jobs on a cumulative basis through the first half of 2026, driven by sharp losses during the first two months of the year. Altogether, we expect a sixth straight rate hold from the Bank of Canada next week, as monthly volatility in growth, inflation, and employment lends itself to hesitancy concerning monetary policy adjustments, especially during prolonged periods of general instability in the global economy.