The burnout is real: These are the most overworked provinces in Canada

If you’re feeling burnt out from your job, you could be in one of the most overworked provinces in Canada.

Alberta-based personal injury law firm Preszler Injury Lawyers has released a new study revealing which parts of the country are exhausted from working.

The research examined data from Statistics Canada to find the working hours for each province in Canada. The average weekly hours were calculated from the monthly values between January 2023 and December 2023.

Preszler also looked at the average weekly hours for the first-tier National Occupational Classification (NOC) and the lowest-tier NOC. The federal government uses this system to identify and categorize jobs based on the training, education, experience, and responsibilities they require.

The first tier includes occupations that usually require a university degree, such as software engineers, and the last tier includes positions that usually need short-term work demonstration and no formal education, such as delivery service drivers.

“The data goes to show the varying demands placed on workers in different regions and industries and how employees in these sectors may need specialized support in order to avoid burnout or injuries due to getting tired on the job,” stated a spokesperson for Preszler.

“These insights can spark conversations about work-life balance and the need for supportive measures to address overwork in the most affected areas.”

So, which province in Canada is the most overworked?

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You might think that provinces with major metropolitans like Toronto and Vancouver would top the list, but according to the study, they’re far from the most overworked.

Newfoundland and Labrador took first place, with employees in the province working an average of 38.18 hours per week across all occupations. According to the study, the most overworked sector in the province is natural resources, agriculture, and related occupations (except management), with people in this sector clocking in the highest usual weekly hours, at 54.23.

Newfoundland and Labrador’s most burnt-out occupation categories are supervisors and positions in natural resources, agriculture and related production. The least overworked job category is support positions in art, culture, and sport.

Following closely behind is Prince Edward Island, working a weekly average of 37.36 hours. Preszler found that the most overworked job sector there is also natural resources, agriculture and related occupations (except management). Employees in this industry were found to work an average of 49.48 hours a week.

The most overworked occupation categories in this province are supervisors and occupations in natural resources, agriculture, and related production. The least overworked job categories are care providers, public protection support positions, student monitors, and crossing guards.

Alberta comes in fourth place, with an average weekly workweek of 36.71 hours. Similarly to the top two spots, the study found that natural resources, agriculture, and related occupations (except management) are the most overworked industries. Employees in this sector worked an average of 46.43 hours per week.

Ontario and British Columbia are some of the least overworked provinces, taking the eighth and ninth spots on the ranking, respectively. According to Preszler’s findings, employees in Ontario work an average of 35.88 hours a week, while those in BC work an average of 35.08.

The most overworked job sector in Ontario is management positions, with a weekly average of 40.39 hours.

In BC, the most overworked industry is natural resources, agriculture, and related occupations (except management). The study found that people in this sector work an average of 39.40 hours a week.

Quebec is the least overworked province, with an average weekly workweek of 34.72 hours.

Like Ontario, the most overworked job sector is management occupations, with employees in this sector registering an average of 39.93 hours worked each week.

“It’s interesting to see the differences in working hours across Canadian provinces,” said the Preszler spokesperson. “It’s particularly eye-opening to see how some sectors, like natural resources and agriculture, consistently show up as areas with an especially high workload.”

Here’s the full ranking of the most overworked provinces in Canada.

Preszler Injury Lawyers

Are you feeling overworked? If so, which sector do you work in? Let us know in the comments.