Current Situation
In 2021, Nova Scotia’s labour force participation rate for 15 to 64-year-olds was 77.9 per cent. Labour force participation rebounded in 2021 after falling in 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Canadian rate also increased in 2021, leaving the gap between the Nova Scotia and Canadian rates larger than it was in 2012. Nova Scotia’s labour force participation rate gap with the national rate was 1.2 percentage points in 2021.
| Year | Canada (target) | Nova Scotia |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 76.2 | 72.1 |
| 2001 | 76.3 | 73.1 |
| 2002 | 77.4 | 73.7 |
| 2003 | 78.2 | 74.4 |
| 2004 | 78.1 | 75.6 |
| 2005 | 77.7 | 75 |
| 2006 | 77.7 | 74.1 |
| 2007 | 78.1 | 75.1 |
| 2008 | 78.3 | 75.4 |
| 2009 | 77.9 | 75.9 |
| 2010 | 77.7 | 76.4 |
| 2011 | 77.7 | 76.1 |
| 2012 | 77.7 | 76.7 |
| 2013 | 77.9 | 76.8 |
| 2014 | 77.6 | 76.2 |
| 2015 | 77.8 | 76 |
| 2016 | 77.9 | 75.5 |
| 2017 | 78.2 | 75.9 |
| 2018 | 78.2 | 76.4 |
| 2019 | 78.7 | 77.3 |
| 2020 | 77.4 | 75.2 |
| 2021 | 79.1 | 77.9 |
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What This Means
The participation rate tells you the proportion of people in a particular age cohort who are active in the labour market – either employed or unemployed. The participation rate is driven largely by demographics but is also influenced by government policy, household preferences and business cycles. In recent years the rate has increased because of increase in prime working-age population while it declined in 2020 due to COVID-19.
Deep Dive
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