(rdnewsNOW file photo)
By Burton Bailey, MP, Red Deer
tough go out there
Sep 22, 2025 | 1:00 PM
Statistics Canada’s August 2025 Labour Force Survey reveals troubling trends in the Canadian job market, particularly for young people. Published monthly, the survey provides critical insights into labour market conditions, guiding decisions by governments, the Bank of Canada, industries, and financial markets. The latest data highlights a weakening economy, with Canada’s youth bearing the brunt of these challenges.
Nationally, the unemployment rate climbed to 7.1%, with Red Deer seeing a local increase to 6.7% from 5.4% in July. This upward trend reflects the growing difficulties Canadians face in finding work to support themselves and their families. However, the most concerning figures are for young people aged 15 to 24, who face significant barriers in the job market.
[rdnewsNOW note: The unemployment rate figures noted above are accurate as per Table 7 of the August 2025 Labour Force Survey, which are based on a three-month moving average, seasonally adjusted. However, as reported by rdnewsNOW recently, using Table 9 of the same survey, which is based on a three-month moving average unadjusted for seasonality, and which is the data used by the Government of Alberta, Red Deer’s unemployment rate was 5.4 per cent in August — up from 4.7 per cent in July 2025 and down from 7.9 per cent in August 2024].
For high school-aged youth (15–19), the unemployment rate soared to 20.9% in August 2025, with 204,400 unable to find jobs. Among those employed, 489,200 were limited to part-time positions, while only 285,100 secured full-time work. For students saving for post-secondary education, part-time jobs are often inadequate, restricting their ability to build savings and gain valuable work experience that fosters essential life skills.