Quebec jobless-rights groups raise alarm over 130,000 cumulative layoffs this year
Quebec lost 49,000 jobs in September alone, with job losses concentrated in the public sector, activist groups warn.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Quebec shed 49,000 jobs in September alone, bringing cumulative losses to 130,000 since January, according to Statistics Canada data released Friday. The national decline was 68,000 for the same month, meaning Quebec accounted for a significant share of Canada's job losses.
The National Council of Unemployed People, which brings together advocacy groups defending jobless workers' rights, flagged the concentration as alarming. "When we look at the concentration in Quebec, we can say that Quebec is now more affected, a bit like Ontario was, over the past year," said Milan Bernard, co-spokesperson for the council.
Statistics Canada attributed most losses to the public sector. Bernard sees a political dimension in the types of jobs being cut, framing the losses as a consequence of political rhetoric about reducing the size of government. The acceleration is sharp: Quebec lost 19,000 jobs in August before jumping to 49,000 in September.
Neither the Quebec government nor the federal government has responded to the groups' concerns. The material does not specify which public sector jobs have been most affected or in which regions the losses have concentrated.
Which public sector jobs have been hit hardest, and in which regions?
What specific policy or budgetary decisions drove the acceleration from 19,000 job losses in August to 49,000 in September?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
