August 21, 2010

The federal government "takes the temperature" of the economy with various surveys, notably in this recessionary-recovery period the Labour Force Survey. Conducted by Statistics Canada, the extensive program earmarks certain individuals to follow over a 6-month period with extensive and intensive questionnaires.

Each member of a household over the age of 15 years is queried.

Stats Can literature claims this is a "reliable way to take the country's economic temperature," by looking at its job and unemployment data. Apparently the information is used by governments, banks, labour unions, businesses and social agencies to make decisions considered important enough to affect the day-to-day lives of all Canadians.

The employment rate appears to be stronger for those with more education, a finding that is not surprising. A grid in the October 2009 brochure from Stats Canada, shows that post-secondary graduation produces the highest level of employment (though it is possible that this group is more likely to participate in surveys than other population groups).

According to Stats Canada, 2008 was the 16th consecutive year of employment growth in Canada. The largest proportion of the population at work in 2008 was in the western provinces, particularly in Alberta where 72% of the working-age population was employed. The most common occupations in 2008 were reported as being in sales and service occupations; professional and clerical in business and finance; transport and equipment operators and other occupations in the construction trades.

How reliable the gathered information can be, is debatable, as people shift jobs, and answer the same questions with 4 to 5 weeks of time passing in between.  Privacy invasion issues may very well be a consideration.

"By the last quarter of 2008, the Canadian economy faced a number of challenges, and during the first six months of 2009, employment shrank by 1.7%," reports Stats Can.  "At the same time, the unemployment rate started to increase and reached 8.6% by June 2009. The industries hardest hit during this economic downturn were manufacturing, construction, transportation and warehousing."

More federally-gathered statistical Information is available online at the StatsCan website.    MM

Other links:

Stats Canada head quits over census dispute (July 2010):  CBC article

Local employment focus:  Older worker employment retraining in Sooke, BC