OntarioLabourSeptember 2016–August 2026 · Monthly

How did the labour force characteristics for unemployment rate, people aged 15 and over, and seasonally adjusted change in Ontario?

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The answer

Labour force characteristics for unemployment rate, people aged 15 and over, and seasonally adjusted increased in Ontario.

Overall change
+0.4 percentage points
Increase
Start · September 2016
6.5%
Latest · August 2026
6.9%

Statistics Canada · Table 14-10-0287-01Updated

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What this answer shows

Measure
Labour force characteristics for unemployment rate, people aged 15 and over, and seasonally adjusted
Area shown
Ontario
Period
September 2016–August 2026Monthly
Unit
Percent

Selected details

Measure
Unemployment rate
Age group
15 years and over
Data type
Seasonally adjusted

Labour force characteristics for unemployment rate, people aged 15 and over, and seasonally adjusted rose from 6.5% to 6.9% between September 2016 and August 2026—an increase of 0.4 percentage points. It reached an observed high of 14.2% in May 2020 before ending at 6.9% in August 2026.

Evidence prepared Revision c9882d908d7bView data updates

Citation-ready data

Labour force characteristics for unemployment rate, people aged 15 and over, and seasonally adjusted in Ontario

Monthly · 120 observations · September 2016–August 2026

Selected periodAugust 2026
  • Labour force characteristics for unemployment rate, people aged 15 and over, and seasonally adjusted6.9%
Labour force characteristics for unemployment rate, people aged 15 and over, and seasonally adjusted rose from 6.5% to 6.9% between September 2016 and August 2026—an increase of 0.4 percentage points. It reached an observed high of 14.2% in May 2020 before ending at 6.9% in August 2026. The chart covers September 2016 to August 2026. Values are shown in Percent.Percent0%5%10%15%September 2016May 2018January 2020September 2021April 2023December 2024August 20266.5%6.9%

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Observed high
14.2%May 2020
Observed low
5%April 2023
Exact values120 observations · September 2016–August 2026

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Labour force characteristics for unemployment rate, people aged 15 and over, and seasonally adjusted in Ontario
PeriodLabour force characteristics for unemployment rate, people aged 15 and over, and seasonally adjusted
August 2026Latest6.9%
July 20266.8%
June 20267%
May 20267%
April 20267.5%
March 20267.6%
February 20267.6%
January 20267.3%
December 20257.9%
November 20257.4%
October 20257.6%
September 20257.9%
August 20257.7%
July 20257.8%
June 20257.8%
May 20257.9%
April 20257.8%
March 20257.5%
February 20257.4%
January 20257.6%
December 20247.5%
November 20247.8%
October 20247.1%
September 20247%
August 20247.2%
July 20246.8%
June 20247%
May 20246.7%
April 20246.8%
March 20246.8%
February 20246.6%
January 20246.1%
December 20236.2%
November 20236.1%
October 20236.2%
September 20235.8%
August 20235.8%
July 20235.6%
June 20235.6%
May 20235.5%
April 20235%
March 20235.3%
February 20235.2%
January 20235.3%
December 20225.3%
November 20225.6%
October 20225.5%
September 20225.5%
August 20225.4%
July 20225.1%
June 20225.1%
May 20225.4%
April 20225.6%
March 20225.4%
February 20225.7%
January 20227.4%
December 20216.3%
November 20216.5%
October 20216.7%
September 20217.4%
August 20217.7%
July 20217.9%
June 20218.8%
May 20219.4%
April 20219.4%
March 20217.8%
February 20219.5%
January 202110.2%
December 20209.9%
November 20209%
October 20209.4%
September 20209.6%
August 202010.4%
July 202011.4%
June 202012.6%
May 202014.2%
April 202012.1%
March 20208.5%
February 20205.6%
January 20205.2%
December 20195.2%
November 20195.5%
October 20195.5%
September 20195.5%
August 20195.6%
July 20195.7%
June 20195.3%
May 20195.2%
April 20195.9%
March 20195.9%
February 20195.6%
January 20195.6%
December 20185.5%
November 20185.7%
October 20185.5%
September 20185.7%
August 20185.8%
July 20185.5%
June 20185.9%
May 20185.8%
April 20185.3%
March 20185.6%
February 20185.6%
January 20185.7%
December 20175.9%
November 20175.9%
October 20175.8%
September 20175.8%
August 20175.5%
July 20176%
June 20176.2%
May 20176.4%
April 20176%
March 20176.3%
February 20176.3%
January 20176.6%
December 20166.5%
November 20166.3%
October 20166.4%
September 20166.5%

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About this data

How to read this measureThe unemployment rate is the number of unemployed persons expressed as a percentage of the labour force. The unemployment rate for a particular group (age, gender, marital status, etc. ) is the number unemployed in that group expressed as a percentage of the labour force for that group. Estimates are percentages, rounded to the nearest tenth.

Data shown through August 2026Table updated

These are the selections used for this answer. The full Statistics Canada table (14-10-0287-01) contains other measures and breakdowns.

Adapted from Statistics Canada, Labour force characteristics, monthly, seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle, 2026-09-04. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

How this answer was calculatedThe headline compares the first and last observations shown. Overall change is the last percentage minus the first and is reported in percentage points. Intermediate observations remain visible in the chart and exact values. This is descriptive and does not identify causes.