Labour Productivity in Canada

Statistics Canada · Quarterly · Importance

0.99% (Q2-26) QOQ · % · Quarterly · CSV

Period	%
Apr 2026	0.99%
Jan 2026	-0.36%
Oct 2025	-0.30%
Jul 2025	0.87%
Apr 2025	-0.66%
Jan 2025	0.22%
Oct 2024	0.72%
Jul 2024	0.68%
Apr 2024	0.49%
Jan 2024	0.17%
Oct 2023	0.06%
Jul 2023	-0.48%
Apr 2023	-0.70%
Jan 2023	-0.61%
Oct 2022	-0.76%
Jul 2022	0.64%
Apr 2022	0.79%
Jan 2022	0.73%
Oct 2021	-1.14%
Jul 2021	-0.25%
Apr 2021	-1.56%
Jan 2021	-0.60%
Oct 2020	-1.43%
Jul 2020	-6.35%
Apr 2020	7.67%
Jan 2020	4.13%
Oct 2019	2.30%
Jul 2019	1.11%
Apr 2019	-0.08%
Jan 2019	-0.08%
Oct 2018	-0.77%
Jul 2018	-0.68%
Apr 2018	0.47%
Jan 2018	0.60%
Oct 2017	0.78%
Jul 2017	-1.05%
Apr 2017	-0.29%
Jan 2017	1.43%
Oct 2016	-0.03%
Jul 2016	1.42%
Apr 2016	-0.42%
Jan 2016	0.27%
Oct 2015	0.02%
Jul 2015	-0.17%
Apr 2015	-1.25%
Jan 2015	-0.65%
Oct 2014	0.37%
Jul 2014	0.70%
Apr 2014	1.90%
Jan 2014	-0.23%
Oct 2013	1.43%
Jul 2013	1.30%
Apr 2013	0.44%
Jan 2013	0.59%
Oct 2012	0.01%
Jul 2012	-0.50%
Apr 2012	-0.78%
Jan 2012	-0.40%
Oct 2011	0.52%
Jul 2011	0.82%

Period	index
Apr 2026	105.275
Jan 2026	104.247
Oct 2025	104.623
Jul 2025	104.934
Apr 2025	104.034
Jan 2025	104.728
Oct 2024	104.493
Jul 2024	103.743
Apr 2024	103.044
Jan 2024	102.542
Oct 2023	102.369
Jul 2023	102.306
Apr 2023	102.796
Jan 2023	103.520
Oct 2022	104.158
Jul 2022	104.951
Apr 2022	104.285
Jan 2022	103.463
Oct 2021	102.716
Jul 2021	103.902
Apr 2021	104.164
Jan 2021	105.815
Oct 2020	106.451
Jul 2020	107.996
Apr 2020	115.319
Jan 2020	107.108
Oct 2019	102.857
Jul 2019	100.548
Apr 2019	99.441
Jan 2019	99.519
Oct 2018	99.594
Jul 2018	100.364
Apr 2018	101.053
Jan 2018	100.578
Oct 2017	99.982
Jul 2017	99.213
Apr 2017	100.263
Jan 2017	100.556
Oct 2016	99.142
Jul 2016	99.173
Apr 2016	97.782
Jan 2016	98.194
Oct 2015	97.930
Jul 2015	97.911
Apr 2015	98.073
Jan 2015	99.318
Oct 2014	99.964
Jul 2014	99.597
Apr 2014	98.903
Jan 2014	97.055
Oct 2013	97.278
Jul 2013	95.902
Apr 2013	94.675
Jan 2013	94.258
Oct 2012	93.704
Jul 2012	93.694
Apr 2012	94.163
Jan 2012	94.904
Oct 2011	95.288
Jul 2011	94.796

Period	%
Apr 2026	1.2%
Jan 2026	-0.5%
Oct 2025	0.1%
Jul 2025	1.1%
Apr 2025	1.0%
Jan 2025	2.1%
Oct 2024	2.1%
Jul 2024	1.4%
Apr 2024	0.2%
Jan 2024	-0.9%
Oct 2023	-1.7%
Jul 2023	-2.5%
Apr 2023	-1.4%
Jan 2023	0.1%
Oct 2022	1.4%
Jul 2022	1.0%
Apr 2022	0.1%
Jan 2022	-2.2%
Oct 2021	-3.5%
Jul 2021	-3.8%
Apr 2021	-9.7%
Jan 2021	-1.2%
Oct 2020	3.5%
Jul 2020	7.4%
Apr 2020	16.0%
Jan 2020	7.6%
Oct 2019	3.3%
Jul 2019	0.2%
Apr 2019	-1.6%
Jan 2019	-1.1%
Oct 2018	-0.4%
Jul 2018	1.2%
Apr 2018	0.8%
Jan 2018	0.0%
Oct 2017	0.8%
Jul 2017	0.0%
Apr 2017	2.5%
Jan 2017	2.4%
Oct 2016	1.2%
Jul 2016	1.3%
Apr 2016	-0.3%
Jan 2016	-1.1%
Oct 2015	-2.0%
Jul 2015	-1.7%
Apr 2015	-0.8%
Jan 2015	2.3%
Oct 2014	2.8%
Jul 2014	3.9%
Apr 2014	4.5%
Jan 2014	3.0%
Oct 2013	3.8%
Jul 2013	2.4%
Apr 2013	0.5%
Jan 2013	-0.7%
Oct 2012	-1.7%
Jul 2012	-1.2%
Apr 2012	0.1%
Jan 2012	1.2%
Oct 2011	2.5%
Jul 2011	2.3%

About this indicator

Source

Statistics Canada (StatCan)

Frequency

Quarterly

What it is

It measures the quarterly change in labour productivity of the Canadian business sector: the real output generated per hour worked. It is published by Statistics Canada within its programme on labour productivity, hourly compensation and unit labour cost.

How it's calculated

The index equals real business-sector GDP (chained, seasonally adjusted) divided by total hours worked in that sector. Statistics Canada publishes it in table 36-10-0206, and the quarterly change is calculated on that index.

Market implications

Falling productivity implies that growth rests more on hours worked than on efficiency, which tends to push unit labour costs higher. The Bank of Canada watches it as a signal of domestically generated inflation and of slack in the labour market.

Limitations

A volatile series from quarter to quarter and subject to revision, in both business-sector real GDP and hours worked. It is an aggregate that does not distinguish between the various industries within the business sector.