Labour Force

Employment by Sector | Labor Force Availability | The Creative Workforce

Employment by Sector

The Toronto region has one of the most diversified economies in the world. While the service sector plays an important role, manufacturing continues to be a significant employer.

Employment by Sector

Source: Statistics Canada 2006.

In 2009, the GTA manufacturing sector employed 341,990 employees.

GTA Top Ten Manufacturing Sectors by Employment (2009)

Source: City of Toronto, Toronto CMA 2009 Industry Profiles.

Top of Page

Labor Force Availability

The current Toronto CMA labor force of 3.1 million represents 44.5% of the total labor force in Ontario and it is expected to grow to 4.1 million by 2031.

Source: Toronto Labour Force Overview 2009, City of Toronto; Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey; City of Toronto Population and Employment Projections

In 2009 the unemployment rate in the Toronto Region was 9.44 percent

Toronto Unemployment Rate 1991-2009

 

Source: Statistics Canada, Labor Force Surveys 2009

Relative to other North American cities qualified labor is readily available in the GTA.

2009/10 Average Annual Unemployment Rates Toronto vs. U.S. cities

Sources: Statistics Canada, Labor Force Surveys 2009; US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010.

With a total enrolment of more then 250,000 students, Greater Toronto Area universities and colleges are an important resource for a skilled future workforce.

In 2008/2009 GTA universities had over 140 000 regestered students.

Source: CUDO 2008-2009 statistics;
*Note: Certain Ontario Colleges offer degree granting programs in addition to diplomas.

In 2009 more then 40,000 students enrolled into Greater Toronto Area colleges

Source: OUAC KPI surveys 2008

Top of Page

The Creative Workforce

The GTA attracts people who drive the knowledge industry

In his book, The Rise of the Creative Class (2002), Dr. Richard Florida explores the emergence of the “Knowledge Economy” and how creative people, those that generate innovations, drive the economic growth of metropolitan areas.

Dr. Florida explains that cities or regions open to diverse ways of life are the most likely to attract this creative class. Based on some recent work, he found that the Greater Toronto Area is one of the top regions in North America for its creativity and diversity.

• 2nd in Canada for its “Bohemian” population and 4th in North America, ahead of San Francisco
  The “Bohemian Index” is defined using employment in artistic and creative occupations.
• 1st in North America for its multiculturalism. Internal link to Population/multiculturalism
  The “Mosaic Index” indicates the total population that is foreign born.

Sources: Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity, 2002. Data based on the work of Dr. Richard Florida, “The Rise of the Creative Class” (2002).

Top of Page