Struggling Ontario Youth Continue to Feel Impact of COVID-19 on Work Sector, Indicates New Labour Force Survey Data
Twenty-year-old Simerdeep Dhaliwal isn't alone in his job hunt struggles. The Algonquin College information and technology student spent a long time searching for a summer co-op placement. It was a tough journey with little success at first.
"It was honestly really discouraging," Dhaliwal admitted. He wasn't the only one facing this challenge. In fact, a recent analysis of Statistics Canada data shows that 15.5% of people between 15 and 24 in Ontario are unemployed - approximately 195,400 people, a nearly three percent increase since February 2017.
Ismail Beremad, a digital account manager at TEKSystems, believes the pandemic has left lasting effects on today's job market. The sluggish economy has made it difficult for businesses to staff up, especially those in service industries that are traditional sources of jobs for young adults, especially students.
According to StatsCan's monthly estimates of business openings and closures, the average number of monthly active businesses has been on an upward trajectory since 2015. However, since the pandemic, rates have dropped, with a 0.01% growth rate in 2024. This decrease in new businesses means fewer new job openings, which can be worrying for young people looking toward their future.
For Dhaliwal, he finally landed a co-op placement as a digital solution technician at the Department of National Defence. The position is full-time with two days virtual. He plans to continue working a couple shifts a week at a gas station to maintain employment after his internship ends.
Industries like automobile and general labor, which were hit hard during the pandemic, are slowing bouncing back, according to employment specialist Pooja Singh at Advantage Personnel.
Despite labour shortages in the service sector, hiring has slowed, affecting young workers. The job vacancy rate in December 2024 was 3.1%, a decrease of 0.7 percentage points on its year-over-year basis.
Dhaliwal is familiar with the food industry, having worked his first job at McDonald's before moving on to the gas station. He got a referral from a family friend to make the hiring process easier.
"I'm not sure how long it would have taken if I didn't get referred."
Beremad advises that jobs are hard to come by because everyone is trying at the same time. With high living costs, individuals might be looking for multiple jobs to make ends meet. Pollara Strategic Insights found in its Economic Outlook 2025 that 41% of young Canadians between the ages of 18 and 34 said housing expenses cause the most stress, and the average one-bedroom apartment in Ontario costs about $2,118.
Dhaliwal's advice for anyone looking for a job is to use all available resources. For him, this included taking a course at his college to improve his resume and cover letters and asking more experienced peers for advice.
- The pandemic has left lasting effects on today's job market, according to Ismail Beremad, a digital account manager at TEKSystems.
- The sluggish economy has made it difficult for businesses to staff up, especially those in service industries.
- Statistics Canada's analysis shows that 15.5% of people between 15 and 24 in Ontario are unemployed - approximately 195,400 people.
- StatsCan's monthly estimates of business openings and closures show a decrease in new businesses since the pandemic, leading to fewer new job openings.
- Simerdeep Dhaliwal, an Algonquin College information and technology student, finally landed a co-op placement as a digital solution technician at the Department of National Defence.
- Industries like automobile and general labor are slowly bouncing back, according to employment specialist Pooja Singh at Advantage Personnel.
- Despite labour shortages in the service sector, hiring has slowed, affecting young workers.
- Dhaliwal's advice for anyone looking for a job is to use all available resources, such as taking a course to improve his resume and cover letters and asking more experienced peers for advice.
- Pollara Strategic Insights found in its Economic Outlook 2025 that 41% of young Canadians between the ages of 18 and 34 said housing expenses cause the most stress, and the average one-bedroom apartment in Ontario costs about $2,118.
- Simerdeep Dhaliwal spent a long time searching for a summer co-op placement, a journey that was tough with little success at first.
- The job market in 2025 will likely continue to be influenced by policy-and-legislation, career-development opportunities, education-and-self-development resources, general-news updates, and the ongoing impacts of the pandemic on AI and technology in the business sector.
