Canada’s unemployment rate held steady at 7.1 per cent after 60,000 jobs were added in September, based on Statistics Canada’s The Labour Force Survey. In 2024, the unemployment rate was 6.3 per cent and in 2023 it was 5.4 per cent.
However, Clutch said the September data for 2025 is a sign of an economy still finding its footing. Employment gains in manufacturing and transportation have dual impacts, as it is both an opportunity and strain across the country’s industrial core.
“Canada’s job market is evolving alongside a shifting economy, but what matters most is how we prepare people for the future of work,” said Dan Park, CEO of Clutch, in a statement. “In the auto industry, thousands of jobs are at risk amid tariff uncertainty, while traditional roles are being redefined as technology and AI reshape the sector.”
Park said Canada’s job market is evolving alongside a shifting economy. What matters most, he added, is how we prepare people for the future of work.
“In the auto industry, thousands of jobs are at risk amid tariff uncertainty, while traditional roles are being redefined as technology and AI reshape the sector. Ontario is also facing a skilled-trades crisis,” he said. “Between 2016 and 2021, the number of tradespeople aged 45 to 54 — the backbone of the workforce — fell by 20%.”
Park said Clutch’s response has been to invest in developing the next generation of skilled technicians, logistics specialists, and operations professionals. He said they continue to hire and train people across Canada because the demand for skilled workers has not slowed down.
“Workforce development is now just as vital as innovation, and building talent locally is how we ensure long-term economic resilience,” said Park.
