COVID-19 continues to gain ground across the country this winter. As some sectors have just reopened, what are the repercussions of the January lockdown on the Canadian job market?
The latest data from Statistics Canada’s Labor Force Survey (LFS) are not encouraging: The tightening of health measures due to COVID-19 has hurt across the country. In fact, the unemployment rate jumped 0.6 points in Canada to reach 9.4% in January. In addition, there is a loss of 212,000 jobs, mainly in Quebec and Ontario. In fact, Quebec’s unemployment rate fell from 6.8% in December to 8.8% in January, while that of Ontario fell from 9.6% to 10.2%.
In Quebec Province, this rise in the unemployment rate is mainly explained by the closure of non-essential retail businesses from December 25 to February 8. Thus, out of 97,900 jobs lost, 92,500 were part-time and 84,600 came from the wholesale and retail trade sector.
That said, full-time employment continues to rise in the country, now only a negative 2.7% from its pre-pandemic level.
Times are tough… even for the common cold!
Among the sectors most affected by the pandemic is the restaurant industry. The latest Restaurants Canada report indicates that 50% of Canadian restaurant owners plan to close their establishment within six months.
The aviation industry is also continuing its free fall. In addition to the approximately 1,900 employees of Air Canada and its regional partners who lost their livelihood in January, the carrier is cutting 1,500 additional positions this month.
Unusual: sanitary measures against COVID-19 (wearing a mask, washing hands, two meters apart) also help curb the common cold. As a result, Island Abbey Foods, maker of Honibe cough and cold lozenges, recently thanked 30 employees at their production facility in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.
https://www.lapresse.ca/affaires/entreprises/2021-01-13/air-canada-supprime-environ-1900-emplois.php
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1762856/air-canada-compressions-reduction-capacite
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-island-abbey-foods-honibee-job-cut-1.5882897
Jobs and candy
Notice to interested parties: Amazon will open five new sites in Quebec, creating more than 1,000 jobs in sorting centers and delivery stations.
In addition, Statistics Canada is actively seeking 32,000 people across the country for the next census, which will take place in May 2021. Positions to be filled? Enumerator and team leader.
And for those with a sweet tooth, the Ontario company Candy Funhouse is looking for tasters who will be called upon to vote on 3000 treats… All in the comfort of their own home and for $ 30 an hour!