Ontario’s Job Growth Masking a Troubling Reality for Workers — Especially the Young

By any measure, job creation in Ontario last year was moderate. But when you dig beneath the surface of the numbers, the picture becomes far less reassuring — and far more worrying, especially for young Ontarians.

The Financial Accountability Officer’s latest report paints a complex portrait. Yes, Ontario continued to add jobs in 2024 — 55,000, in fact — even in the face of global economic uncertainty. That’s no small feat. But the real problem lies in the fact that this growth failed to keep pace with the growing number of people entering the job market. As a result, the province’s unemployment rate surged to 7 per cent, its highest level since 2014, excluding the COVID-19 years. That’s a sharp jump from 5.6 per cent the previous year — and a clear red flag.

Let’s be honest: a growing economy that can’t absorb its workforce is a troubling sign. While areas like Kitchener, Cambridge, and Waterloo — Ontario’s tech powerhouses — saw encouraging spikes in employment, that strength wasn’t shared across the province. And critically, it wasn’t felt among Ontario’s youngest workers.

Youth employment declined by 0.6 per cent, and youth unemployment is now hovering at a staggering 16 per cent. That’s not just a statistic; it’s a crisis. It speaks to a generation that’s increasingly shut out of the job market, facing rising living costs, and watching from the sidelines as opportunities pass them by.

The government, to its credit, is trying to maintain a positive tone. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade emphasized the province’s focus on attracting investment and creating good-paying jobs. But even with wages growing at a healthy clip — 5.2 per cent to an average of $36.44 per hour — the benefits are unevenly distributed. Young workers, often stuck in part-time or precarious roles, aren’t feeling that bump.

Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner rightly pointed out that this is a pivotal moment. Ontario can’t afford to tread water while a generation flounders. There’s an enormous opportunity to invest in a clean energy economy, to create resilient, future-proof jobs that align with our environmental goals. A green jobs strategy isn’t just climate policy — it’s economic policy, and a lifeline for struggling youth.

If Ontario is serious about being the best destination for investment and jobs, it must take a hard look at who’s being left behind. Celebrating job creation is one thing. Ensuring that those jobs are accessible, secure, and evenly spread across demographics is another entirely. And right now, we’re falling short.

The numbers may say “moderate growth,” but for too many Ontarians — especially the young — it doesn’t feel like growth at all.