Canada’s youth-to-adult unemployment ratio has increased from 2.05 in 2021 to 2.48 in the first half of 2025 (January–July), nearly matching the pandemic-era peak of 2020. This represents a reversal of the steady declines following the 2008–2009 recession, which reduced the ratio to a low of 2.0 in 2017. An elevated ratio is concerning, as high youth unemployment is linked to long-term scarring effects, including a higher likelihood of future unemployment and greater concentration in lower-quality, lower-paying jobs. For more on impacts, see this C.D. Howe Institute paper, and for a contributing factor to the recent trend, see this C.D. Howe Institute Intelligence Memo.
