Canadian Job Vacancies: Ontario Hiring Slump Drags National Rate

Canadian employers are pulling back, but the hiring slowdown isn’t even across provinces. Statistics Canada (StatCan) data shows the job vacancy rate fell across Canada in Q3, but most provinces remain at or above the national average. Ontario stands out as an exception, as its large population, paired with a stagnating economy, has seen hiring evaporate fast enough to skew the national picture.

What Is The Job Vacancy Rate & Why Is It Important? 

Today we’re looking at the job vacancy rate—unfilled positions as a share of the total labour force. It’s a simple but powerful indicator that reflects employment confidence and a broader outlook on the job market. It’s not just important for people looking for work, but also for worker mobility across the economy (or country). 

Higher job vacancy rates signal excess demand for labour. It’s a positive sentiment indicator, as employers hire when economic conditions are good. It’s also good news for those looking for a job, as it becomes easier to exit unemployment and provides better worker mobility for those looking for a change in scenery. It also means workers have more leverage, supporting wage growth.  

Lower vacancy rates signal the opposite: weaker demand for workers and fewer available jobs. Employers pull back as economic conditions soften, making it harder to find work or move between roles. The reduced leverage puts downward pressure on wages, as more people compete for the same roles.  

Canadian Job Vacancy Rate Falls To 8 Year Low As Hiring Dries Up

We won’t bore you with a full recap of the national data we covered just a few days ago, but it’s worth a quick refresher when comparing provinces. Canada’s job vacancy rate fell to 2.8% in Q3 2025, down 0.3 points from last year and sitting at exactly half of the 5.6% peak reported in Q2 2022. The rate is now the lowest in 8 years, which translates to just 492.5k unfilled jobs across the country. That’s roughly 1 vacant job for every 3 actively seeking work and unemployed.  

Of course, not all provinces are created equal in this context.  

Canadian Job Vacancies Down But Ontario Drags The Index Lower

Canadian Job Vacancy Rate: Unfilled Jobs As A Share of Total Labour Force.  

Source: StatCan; Better Dwelling. 

Let’s start with the good news: seven provinces are at or above the national vacancy rate. Nova Scotia leads at 3.4%, followed by Prince Edward Island (3.3%), and British Columbia (3.2%). 

Before booking a moving truck, scale matters. Nova Scotia and PEI combined account for just 17.7k vacant jobs, or 3.6% of the national total. BC alone has more than 4x that amount at 81k unfilled roles, representing 16.5% of all vacancies in the country. Nova Scotia and PEI have a decent number of jobs for the scale of their local economy, but they don’t represent a gold-rush style hiring boom. BC, on the other hand, deserves more attention on another day.  

Only 3 provinces fell below the national rate: Alberta (2.7%), Ontario (2.5%), and Newfoundland (2.3%). Newfoundland’s low vacancy rate works out to 4.7k vacant jobs, which presents a challenge to its local economy but it barely impacts the national picture. Alberta and Ontario are different stories—their economies are large enough that weak hiring can drive the national picture. 

Even then, Alberta looks far less strained than Ontario. Alberta’s share of vacant jobs is roughly in line with its share of national unemployment (12.1% vs 12.4%). Meanwhile, Ontario is home to just 34.9% of vacant roles but 44.2% of unemployed workers. The vacancy rates may be within spitting distance of each other, but the imbalance means an unemployed worker in Ontario is 18.4% less likely to find a job than their counterpart in Alberta. 

Canada’s declining job vacancy is a national issue, with every province witnessing a contraction. However, most regions are faring better than the average implies. BC is of particular note, as it’s a large economy where hiring remains relatively resilient. Ontario, on the other hand, is the clear underperformer dragging the national data lower. It remains the only province significantly overrepresented in unemployment, and happens to be simultaneously underrepresented for hiring.