News Release
January 20, 2020

The results of the 2019 Toronto Employment Survey point to strong economic performance over the past year, with total employment in Toronto growing by 3.1 per cent compared to 2018. This is a year-over-year increase of 46,920 jobs for a total of 1,569,800 jobs in Toronto.

These and other results were discussed today by Mayor John Tory, Deputy Mayor Ana Bailão (Ward 9 Davenport), Chair of the Planning and Housing Committee, and Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson (Ward 21 Scarborough Centre), Chair of the Economic and Community Development Committee, following an office tour of mobile-app developer, theScore, on King Street West.

This year’s Toronto Employment Survey undertook additional analysis of Toronto’s technology sector. Total employment in this sector for 2019 was 60,408 jobs, which represents an increase of 16.6 per cent from 2018, and 84.6 per cent from 2014. There were 1,729 tech establishments in 2019, representing 2.0 per cent of all establishments in the city. This is an increase of 15.5 per cent from 2018 and 85.7 per cent from 2014.

Other key survey findings include:
• Full-time employment increased by 31,930 jobs (2.8%) from 2018. At 1,178,940 jobs, full-time employment has surpassed 1 million for the 14th consecutive year.  
• Part-time employment increased by 14,980 jobs (4.0%) from 2018 to 390,850 jobs, comprising approximately one quarter of Toronto’s employment.
• From 2018, four out of six employment categories grew. Institutional employment grew by the highest rate of 6.6%.  
• The Office category continues to be Toronto’s largest employment category, with nearly half of all jobs (48%), followed by Institutional (17.4%), Service (12.6%), Retail (9.8%), Manufacturing (8.7%) and Community & Entertainment (3.6%).
• In 2019, there were approximately 666,980 jobs in Toronto’s Downtown and Centres (Scarborough Centre, North York Centre, Yonge-Eglinton Centre and Etobicoke Centre), representing 42.5% of all jobs in the city.
• In 2019, 423,920 jobs were in Toronto’s designated Employment Areas, representing 27% of all jobs. This is an increase of 6,560 jobs (1.6%) from 2018.
• Since 2014, overall employment in the Employment Areas has grown by 10.3% or 39,430 jobs.

Since 1983, the City has conducted this annual survey of Toronto businesses to monitor economic activity, provide information for policy and decision-making and offer additional context for the planning of municipal infrastructure and services.

The 2019 Toronto Employment Survey collected data from 76,560 businesses, an increase of 920 (or 1.2 per cent) from 2018. This represents an 89 per cent response rate from businesses contacted through the program. The program contacts approximately 99 per cent of Toronto’s public-facing business establishments, excluding home-based employment.  The survey is conducted from May to August of each year.

More details about the survey – including the 2019 Employment Bulletin which summarizes and provides analyse on the complete results, as well as additional information on the rise of Toronto’s technology sector – can be found at http://www.toronto.ca/city-government/data-research-maps/research-reports/planning-development/toronto-employment-survey/.

Quotes:
“I’m proud that our latest Toronto Employment Survey results provide further proof of our city’s ongoing success. We are the fastest growing city in North America. People want to live here and they want to work here. Every job is important and I am focused on making sure we continue to grow more businesses here – across all sectors – and that we attract more businesses to locate here to create more jobs. It’s no secret that a key feature of Toronto’s economy in the 21st century has been the rise of our technology sector. The survey results reinforce this growth – with the total number of tech businesses almost doubling over the past five years and an incredible 85 per cent increase in jobs in the tech sector over the same time period. I’m committed to continuing to grow our city’s economy, and protecting Toronto’s success.”
– Mayor John Tory

“The continuation of the annual Toronto Employment Survey is important for planning and economic development purposes. In directing employment growth to Downtown, the Centres, Mixed Use Areas and Employment Areas, we have already helped create complete communities, with focused transit and infrastructure investments that support economic connectivity and business growth.”
– Deputy Mayor Ana Bailão (Ward 9 Davenport), Chair of the Planning and Housing Committee

“As the economic engine of the province and country, it is no surprise that Toronto continues to grow and prosper. From 2011 to 2018, Toronto’s GDP is estimated to have grown by 2.7 per cent per year, outpacing the average annual growth rates of both Ontario and Canada. At the city, we will continue working hard to remain competitive on the global scale by offering high quality resources to our business community, celebrating our diverse workforce and focusing on building livable communities that attract talent.”
– Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson (Ward 21 Scarborough Centre), Chair of the Economic and Community Development Committee

Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit http://www.toronto.ca or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/CityofToronto, on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/cityofto or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/cityofto.

Ellen Leesti
Strategic Communications
416-397-1403