NATIONAL PULSE – Youth unemployment spurs pessimism as economic update delivered
(Image: File photo)
Four-in-five of those with exposure to job market say it’s either “bad” or “terrible”
By ANGUS REID INSTITUTE
April 29 , 2026 – While the national unemployment rate has held steady in recent months, a surge in youth unemployment and widespread pessimism about job prospects point to a labour market that feels far weaker than top-line numbers suggest. This, as federal government announced plans Tuesday, to invest billions in skills training and workforce growth as part of the government’s spring economic statement.
New data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds concern over jobs and unemployment continues to rise among 18-to-24-year-old’s, with 38 per cent of Canadians in this group choosing it as a top issue, more than double the number who said this at the beginning of 2025 (18%).
Unemployment challenges go beyond the topline rate, however. One-in-six households report knowing someone currently unemployed and searching for work (16%), while many more say unemployment is affecting close friends or family (21%).
For those attempting to find a job that may help them overcome financial woes, the picture is bleak.
Four-in-five Canadians who are either looking for a job, or have someone close to them who is, describe the current job market as “bad” or “terrible,” with just 13 per cent offering a positive assessment. Among job seekers, the most common frustrations reflect a lack of response from employers and a perceived shortage of available jobs in their area.
While some indicators, such as cooling inflation and easing housing costs are offering relief, financial vulnerability remains entrenched for many. One-in-five Canadians (21%) fall into a “high financial pressure” category, marked by job insecurity and pessimism about the future. These individuals are far more likely to experience or be surrounded by unemployment and job insecurity. Further, three-in-five within this group say they expect their financial situation to be worse next year.
While some Canadians report their finances are improving, pain at the pump is felt across country. The war in Iran has led to a hike in oil and gas prices, which has more than three-quarters of Canadians (77%) saying they’ve taken a financial hit recently. Accordingly, 68 per cent say they’ve changed their behaviour since the war began, either driving less, cutting back in other areas, or combining trips. This is up from 63 per cent in the early weeks of the conflict.
More Key Findings:
- Just three-in-10 employed Canadians say they feel totally secure in their job, while 14 per cent feel insecure to some degree.
- The share of Canadians who say they are worse off than a year ago has fallen, but at 35 per cent remains roughly twice the proportion who say they are better off.
- The proportion who say housing costs are difficult to manage has dropped 13 points in under two years, from 44 to 31 per cent
ArmchairMayor.ca 
My comment might not solve employment problems but it is about parking in Kamloops where people are working. It makes zero sense to have all the street parking taken up by the personal vehicles of the construction workers. An offsite parking lot and a bus would help the businesses that are losing money. Imagine when the buildings with no built in parking clog the entire street. Time to grow up and avoid voting for developers.
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