• The number of employed Edmontonians has significantly increased.
• The number of employed people has been steadily increasing in Edmonton. Employment tends to grow more slowly or even decrease during economic downturns and rises sharply during times of economic prosperity.
• The COVID-19 pandemic caused a sharp fall of 62,200 employed persons in the year 2020, a decrease of 8.1% from the previous year. 

Employment-related measures indicate the strength of an economy and, accordingly, the population’s ability to sustain itself. Higher unemployment rates lead to more people needing income support to maintain a minimal standard of living and challenge governments and businesses to find opportunities to stimulate job growth. Lower unemployment rates also have their challenges—for instance, employed individuals may struggle to balance their work and family roles, and may face difficulties to secure adequate child care or obtain affordable housing. 

The unemployment rates experienced by Indigenous peoples and youth are significantly higher at all times, but especially during economic downturns. While unemployment rates for women have typically been lower than those for men, especially in recent years, women’s earnings from employment continue to be significantly lower than those of men.