Current Situation
In 2018, the youth unemployment rate in Nova Scotia was 15.6 per cent compared to 11.1 percent nationally. This was down from a rate of 18.6 per cent in Nova Scotia in 2012. The Nova Scotian and Canadian rates both declined this year, leaving the gap at 4.5 percentage points in 2018. The gap between Nova Scotian and Canadian rates had been narrowing in recent years, reaching a low of 1.8 percentage points in 2016. Recent trends suggest that the gap is not on track to close by 2024.
| Year | Canada (target) | Nova Scotia |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 12.4 | 16.3 |
| 1977 | 13.8 | 16.8 |
| 1978 | 14 | 17.4 |
| 1979 | 12.7 | 18 |
| 1980 | 12.8 | 16.3 |
| 1981 | 12.8 | 16.7 |
| 1982 | 18.2 | 21.7 |
| 1983 | 19.2 | 21.8 |
| 1984 | 17.4 | 20.9 |
| 1985 | 15.8 | 21.4 |
| 1986 | 14.7 | 20.5 |
| 1987 | 13.2 | 18.3 |
| 1988 | 11.5 | 15.6 |
| 1989 | 10.9 | 15 |
| 1990 | 12.3 | 15.5 |
| 1991 | 15.8 | 19.5 |
| 1992 | 17.2 | 20.2 |
| 1993 | 17.2 | 21.5 |
| 1994 | 15.9 | 22.1 |
| 1995 | 14.8 | 19 |
| 1996 | 15.4 | 17.7 |
| 1997 | 16.3 | 20.6 |
| 1998 | 15.1 | 19 |
| 1999 | 14.1 | 18.2 |
| 2000 | 12.7 | 15.8 |
| 2001 | 12.9 | 17.6 |
| 2002 | 13.6 | 17.9 |
| 2003 | 13.6 | 15.7 |
| 2004 | 13.4 | 15.1 |
| 2005 | 12.4 | 15 |
| 2006 | 11.7 | 13.8 |
| 2007 | 11.2 | 13 |
| 2008 | 11.6 | 13.5 |
| 2009 | 15.4 | 17.6 |
| 2010 | 14.9 | 16.3 |
| 2011 | 14.3 | 16.7 |
| 2012 | 14.4 | 18.6 |
| 2013 | 13.7 | 18.3 |
| 2014 | 13.5 | 17.8 |
| 2015 | 13.2 | 15.3 |
| 2016 | 13.1 | 14.9 |
| 2017 | 11.6 | 16.8 |
| 2018 | 11.1 | 15.6 |
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What This Means
This indicator measures the percentage of people between the ages of 15 and 24 looking for work and unable to find employment. The declining rate means that a greater share of people in that age group looking for work could find it.
Deep Dive
Read more detailed information about this goal by clicking 'Deep Dive'