Youth employment in B.C. has suffered what one group is calling a concerning drop since just nine years ago.
A new report from the Business Council of British Columbia (BCBC) reveals some startling numbers on how youth employment has changed since mid-2017 up to March 2026.
According to the report, youth employment in March 2026 fell back to where it was in mid-2017, “erasing roughly eight years of gains” while the young population, at 671,000, is near an all-time high.
BCBC
BCBC‘s data, partially sourced through Statistics Canada, shows that the youth labour market has deteriorated over the last seven years.
“Since 2019, the province has seen fewer young people working, more young people unable to find jobs, and a growing number who have stopped looking altogether. This should concern anyone who is young, has children, or employs young people. A first job is where young people start building the experience and skills they need to have a successful life,” the report says.
“A first job is where young people start building the experience and skills they need to have a successful life. When tens of thousands of young British Columbians are not getting that start, the province loses future workers, taxpayers, and economic growth.”
BCBC adds that the youth unemployment rate has risen to levels we haven’t seen outside of the pandemic since the global financial crisis.
“The headline unemployment number actually understates the problem because it misses the young people who have given up looking for a job.”
BCBC also looked at the progress we’ve made since 1977.
BCBC
According to BCBC, B.C. is an outlier among all provinces, stating that since 2019, youth employment has grown in every province except B.C. and Nova Scotia. However, Nova Scotia’s drop was much gentler than in B.C.
BCBC
BCBC says that the losses are concentrated in retail and accommodation and also points to a couple of reasons, including weak private-sector hiring and an increase in the supply of entry-level workers.
“B.C.’s youth labour market has weakened more than any other province’s over the past seven years. Youth employment has declined 14 per cent, the worst in the country. The youth labour force participation rate has fallen 10 percentage points, from the third highest in Canada to the lowest. The unemployment rate has risen to levels last seen during the global financial crisis. Both participation and unemployment are deteriorating at the same time,” BCBC says.