Toronto Employment Survey
Since 1983, Toronto has monitored the City’s employment by conducting an annual survey of businesses. The data collected is vital to monitor the City’s economic health, as well as aiding in decision and policy making. It is essential background information for forecasting and planning the City’s infrastructure and services for the citizens and businesses of Toronto. The Survey is a unique resource in Canada for the private and public sectors.
How the Survey Works
Throughout the summer, surveyors visit each and every business establishment in the City of Toronto. That’s over 75,680 locations. The surveyors collect information about the number of employees working there, and the type of work that is taking place. No other programme relates Toronto employment and land use.
Your Information is Confidential
The information collected is treated as strictly confidential. The data is only released to the public in aggregate form. This allows employment patterns to be studied without revealing specific information on individual businesses.
We Need You
The continued success of this important survey depends on the co-operation and assistance of the City’s business community. We rely on each business establishment to provide us with information on the number of full- and part-time employees as well as the type of employment activity taking place at each location.
Watch out for a surveyor at your business this summer and count your business in.
2018 Survey Results
The 2018 Employment Bulletin summarizes the results of the 36th annual Toronto Employment Survey and provides an analysis of changes in Toronto’s economy over the past decade. The bulletin reports on key employment trends by sector, and on evolving employment patterns across the City and in Downtown, the Centres, Employment Areas, and Secondary Plan areas. This edition of the bulletin also discusses the impact of recent changes in labour legislation on employment in Toronto.
Toronto Employment Concentration, 2018
Highlights
- The 2018 survey counted 1,523,180 jobs, an increase of 26,940 jobs or 1.8 per cent from 2017.
- Office employment grew by 18,990 jobs and 2.7 per cent to remain the largest sector in Toronto, accounting for almost one out of every two jobs.
- The Manufacturing category experienced continued growth of 2.6 per cent, adding 3,460 jobs.
- The survey counted 75,680 establishments in 2018, a slight increase of 60 establishments (0.1 per cent).
- 3,470 new business establishments opened in 2018, with 57.9 per cent opening in Employment Areas, Downtown, or in the Centres.
- Toronto’s Downtown and Centres contained 646,790 jobs in 2018, or 42.5 per cent of all employment.
- In 2018, 417,470 jobs were located in Employment Areas, or 27.4 per cent of all jobs in Toronto.
- Employment Areas contained 92.6 per cent of all Manufacturing jobs in 2017.
Total Employment in City of Toronto, 1983-2018
Total Employment – 2008, 2017*, 2018
| Employment | Total Number of Employees | Net Change | Growth Rate | Net Change | Annual Growth Rate | ||
| 2008 | 2017* | 2018 | 2008-2018 | 2017-2018 | |||
| Full-time | 1,024,880 | 1,131,690 | 1,147,260 | 122,380 | 11.9% | 15,580 | 1.4% |
| Part-time | 285,970 | 364,560 | 375,920 | 89,950 | 31.5% | 11,360 | 3.1% |
| Total | 1,310,850 | 1,496,250 | 1,523,180 | 212,330 | 16.2% | 26,940 | 1.8% |
Source: Toronto Employment Survey, 2008, 2017 and 2018.
*2017 employment totals revised in 2018 based on updated employer information.
Survey Results from Previous Years
For copies of Employment Bulletins from 2003 to 2017, please contact Hailey Toft by telephone at 416-392-8343 or by email at cityplanning@toronto.ca.
Toronto Employment Survey Summary Tables for 2017 and 2018 are available on the Open Data Catalogue.