Unemployment rate by province in Canada, Oct. 2026

Canada’s unemployment rate rose 0.2 percentage points to 6.7 per cent in October 2026, and provincial rates ranged from 5.0 per cent in Manitoba to 8.7 per cent in Newfoundland and Labrador, according to Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey. Alberta posted the largest monthly increase, up 0.9 points to 7.3 per cent. All rates below are seasonally adjusted and refer to the survey reference week in October 2026.

Updated Nov. 9, 2026: figures reflect the October 2026 Labour Force Survey, released Nov. 6, 2026. The previous edition covered September 2026.

Which province has the highest unemployment rate?

Newfoundland and Labrador had the highest rate in October at 8.7 per cent, down from 9.1 per cent in September. New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island were at 7.4 per cent each, and Ontario and Alberta were at 7.3 per cent each. All five were above the national rate of 6.7 per cent.

Which province has the lowest unemployment rate?

Manitoba had the lowest rate at 5.0 per cent, unchanged from September. Quebec followed at 5.7 per cent and Saskatchewan at 5.9 per cent. Nova Scotia (6.2 per cent) and British Columbia (6.3 per cent) were also below the national figure. Our earlier report on the September job losses is in why Canada lost 68,000 jobs and who was hit hardest, and the latest Alberta result is covered in unemployment rate rises to 6.7% as Alberta loses 24,000 jobs.

What does the unemployment rate measure?

The Labour Force Survey counts people without work who were available and looked for a job during the reference week, as a share of the labour force. The rates in the table are seasonally adjusted, which removes regular yearly patterns so months can be compared. Monthly provincial rates come from a sample survey and carry a margin of error, so small differences between provinces or months may not be meaningful.

Why does the unemployment rate matter for interest rates and wages?

The Bank of Canada watches the labour market when it sets its policy rate. Provincial minimum wages are set separately by each government; our table is at minimum wage by province in Canada. City-level rates are in unemployment rate by city in Canada.

When is the next update?

Statistics Canada publishes the Labour Force Survey monthly. The next release, for November 2026, is scheduled for Dec. 4, 2026, and this page will be updated afterward with the newest figures and reference month.

How we compiled this

Rates were taken from the Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey release for October 2026 (The Daily, Nov. 6, 2026, Table 3; underlying data in Table 14-10-0287-01 on the Statistics Canada site). The September figures are those we published from the Oct. 9, 2026 release; the national September rate is the October rate less the published 0.2-point change. We did not estimate any figure. Territorial rates are not part of this monthly provincial release, so none are shown. Date checked: Nov. 9, 2026.

Cite this page: Canada News Media, Unemployment rate by province in Canada, Oct. 2026, updated Nov. 9, 2026, https://canadanewsmedia.ca/unemployment-rate-by-province-canada-2026/

Related: Unemployment rate by city in Canada

Related: Inflation rate by province in Canada, Sept. 2026

Related: Average weekly earnings by province in Canada, 2026

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