Future of work
A curated resource of recent research on trends shaping Canada's labour market.
Data from previous crises — such as Hurricane Katrina and Great Recession of 2007–2009 — show that geographic areas are often impacted unevenly. Any resulting spikes the unemployment rate are temporary, however. This analysis of 138 US metropolitan areas that have experienced idiosyncratic shocks shows that unemployment rates tend to rebound after the crisis has passed.
As with previous crises, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted metropolitan areas unevenly. For example, those metropolitan areas first affected by the virus closed non-essential businesses sooner. In addition, the economies of areas with greater dependency on energy, tourism and hospitality have suffered greater slowdowns than those relying more on agriculture or professional services. Policy makers should consider the different challenges faced by each locality as they suggest approaches to providing aid. The solutions provided should attempt to reduce any disparities between them.