Social Well-Being Indicator Tracker

Our social well-being indicators are based on social determinants of health. These indicators are the economic and social conditions that shape the health of individuals and communities. Social determinants of health also determine the extent to which a person possesses the physical, social, and personal resources to identify and achieve personal aspirations, satisfy needs, and cope with the environment. Social determinants of health are about the quantity and quality of a variety of resources that society makes available to its members. Important considerations include both the quality and their distribution amongst the population.

CEmployment & Labour Indicators

SHORT TERM

LONG TERM

TREND ANALYSIS

C4 Unemployment Rate, Edmonton CMA

UPWARD
UPWARD

NEGATIVE

C4 Unemployment Rate, Edmonton CMA

CIncome and Income Gap Indicators

CEmployment & Labour Indicators Menu

Unemployment Rate

  • The unemployment rate in Alberta is very sensitive to underlying economic conditions, such as rising and falling oil prices. The unemployment rate tends to be a lagging indicator and can keep increasing for a time even after an economic recovery is underway. That’s because people who had previously given up looking for work re-enter the labour force and start job searching again.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic has lead to the highest unemployment rate on record, 12%. 

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. 

This data has been collected from external sources and should not always be attributed to ESPC. We would be happy to provide you with a specific reference for the data that you have used. Please click on the text to the right to request sourcing information, report an error or omission, or provide your comments

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