To fully measure the shock to the Canadian labour market resulting from the COVID-19 economic shutdown, a series of survey enhancements have been included in the Labour Force Survey as of April 2020, including additional questions on: working from home; concerns related to job loss; capacity to meet financial obligations; and applications to federal COVID-19 assistance programs. 

To ensure that the full scope of the labour market disruption is captured, supplementary indicators are also featured, including measures of the number of Canadians who kept their job but worked reduced hours, and the number who did not look for work because of the unique circumstances associated with the shutdown. 

Note that Standard LFS indicators at the CMA level are available here.  Standard LFS indicators at the Economic Region level are available here. (links to the StatCan website)

The following groups of tables are included in the Canada and regions file package:

LFS Supplementary Indicators Tables only are included for the following months:

• December 2022
• November 2022
• October 2022
• September 2022
• August 2022
• July 2022
• June 2022
• May 2022
• April 2022
• March 2022
• October 2020
• June 2020
• May 2020
• April 2020

LFS Supplementary Indicators Tables and LFS populations groups designated as visible minorities are included for the following months:

• February 2022
• January 2022
• December 2021
• November 2021
• October 2021
• September 2021
• August 2021
• July 2021
• June 2021
• April 2021
• March 2021
• January 2021
• December 2020
• November 2020
• September 2020
• August 2020
• July 2020

Two data tables presenting labour force characteristics of population groups designated as visible minorities for March 2022 onward are available on the Statistics Canada website:

• Table 14-10-0373-01  Labour force characteristics by visible minority group, three-month moving averages, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality
• Table 14-10-0373-02  Labour force characteristics by visible minority group and region, three-month moving averages, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality

Main and usual work location by province tables are included for March 2022.

The tables at Census Metropolitan Area and Economic Region geographies do not have the data for visible minority population groups. The data in the CMA/ER tables run from March 2019 to December 2021.

Starting with the March 1st release, these estimates (from March 2019 to the most recent data) are now based on population counts from the 2016 Census. Previous releases were based on the 2011 Census.

IMPORTANT: The data tables for Census Metropolitan Areas and Economic Regions are produced on a monthly basis and therefore include quality indicators. Please use the data with caution and refer to the quality indicators that are included to assess the reliability of the data. For any variable, make sure to check the Coefficient of variation and follow these guidelines:

• Category 1 - If the CV is <= 16.5% - no release restrictions: data are of sufficient accuracy that no special warnings to users or other restrictions are required.
• Category 2 - If the CV is > 16.5% and <= 33.3% - release with caveats: data are potentially useful for some purposes but should be accompanied by a warning to users regarding their accuracy.
• Category 3 - If the CV > 33.3% - not recommended for release: data contain a level of error that makes them so potentially misleading that they should not be released in most circumstances. If users insist on inclusion of Category 3 data in a non-standard product, even after being advised of their accuracy, the data should be accompanied by a disclaimer. The user should acknowledge the warnings given and undertake not to disseminate, present or report the data, directly or indirectly, without this disclaimer.