Goal 7

Labour Force Participation Rate

Nova Scotia will have a labour force participation rate at least as high as the Canadian rate, bringing more Nova Scotians into permanent attachment to the labour market.


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Goal Status

donut shaped icon to signify the status of not progressing Not Progressing Not On Track
Current: 1.2
Baseline: 1
Target: 0
Updated:
Bands

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

Read more detailed information about this goal by clicking 'Deep Dive'

Labour Force Participation Rate Deep Dive

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