Ontario employment snapshot: September 2026.

A September 2026 snapshot of employment, unemployment and job vacancies across Ontario and the Toronto region.

What does Ontario’s job market look like right now? Here are some of the latest figures from Statistics Canada and the Government of Ontario.

Ontario

In August 2026, approximately 8.3 million people were employed in Ontario, with an unemployment rate of 6.9%.

Compared with August 2025, employment increased by 116,000 (+1.4%), while the unemployment rate decreased from 7.7% to 6.9%.

Approximately 82% of employed Ontarians were working full-time.

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, August 2026; Government of Ontario, Ontario’s Labour Market — August 2026 snapshot.

Toronto Region

In the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA), approximately 3.786 million people were employed in August 2026.

The unemployment rate was 6.7%, while the employment rate—the proportion of the working-age population that was employed—was 62.0%.

Compared with August 2025, employment increased by 84,100 (+2.3%).

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour force characteristics by Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver census metropolitan areas, August 2026.

Job Vacancies

Statistics Canada’s latest quarterly data shows Ontario’s job vacancies held steady in the second quarter of 2026.

Within the province, Toronto recorded 3,600 more job vacancies (+4.3%) than in the first quarter.

Source: Statistics Canada, Job vacancies, second quarter 2026, released September 15, 2026.

Beyond the headline numbers

Provincial figures describe the whole market. Decisions get made in a narrower one: a sector, a role, a level of seniority. The same data raises different questions depending on where you sit.

If you hire; How do your time-to-fill and offer acceptance rates compare with a year ago? Who are you competing with for the same candidates?

If you’re a job searching: Which roles in your field are being posted, and where does your experience match?

If you’re weighing a move: What would a new role need to ofeer in scope, pay, and growth to justify the move?

Statistics Canada updates employment figures monthly and job vacancies quarterly, so they may be worth revisiting alongside your own numbers.

About the Data: Employment and unemployment figures above reflect August 2026 Labour Force Survey data. Job-vacancy figures reflect the second quarter of 2026. References to Toronto represent the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, not the City of Toronto alone. The statistics presented reflect information available as of September 20, 2026.

Sources: Statistics Canada. Labour Force Survey, August 2026. September 4, 2026. Statistics Canada. Labour force characteristics by Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver census metropolitan areas. August 2026. Statistics Canada. Job vacancies, second quarter 2026. September 15, 2026. Government of Ontario. Ontario’s Labour Market — August 2026 snapshot.