Significant Job Gains Shown in Labour Force Data for December 2022
Significant Job Gains Shown in Labour Force Data for December 2022
Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce Statement on Labour Force Survey for December
January 6, 2023 - The Greater Langley Chamber of Commerce is noting the stronger-than-anticipated job numbers in Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey for December, showing a significant increase in employment across the country, including in BC. The Chamber is particularly pleased to see this growth driven by private sector employment -- not government -- and notes the near record levels of employment by women, particularly women with young children, as a sign of the importance of continued investment in childcare.
The Labour Force Survey showed employment rose by 104,000 in December (17,000 jobs in BC) and the unemployment rate declined to 5.0% (4.2% in BC). “This growth was almost exclusively driven by the private sector, which serves as a good reminder that it is businesses, big and small, that power our economy and we need to pay attention to supporting their needs,” says Langley Chamber CEO Cory Redekop.
The Chamber also notes the near record-high employment rate for women as a sign of the positive economic impact of childcare investments by various levels of government. The Survey revealed 81% of women aged 25-54 were employed in 2022, the highest annual rate on record since 1976, with much of the increase among women with young children.
“Childcare is a business issue for this very reason – it allows us to broaden our labour force by allowing more women to join the workforce. Today’s numbers go a long way of underscoring the economic importance of continued investments by all governments in improving access to childcare,” adds Redekop.