Impact of economic consequences of COVID-19 on Canadians’ social concerns. StatCan COVID-19: Data to Insights for a Better Canada. Catalogue no. 45280001. Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada, Government of Canada.
Using Statistics Canada’s newly developed online Canadian Perspective Survey, the authors examined how personal financial concerns can impact matters related to social cohesion. Factors considered include family stress from confinement, violence in the home, maintaining social ties, the ability to co-operate and support one another, and the risk of civil disorder. Seventeen percent of Canadians…Read More
Canadians’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Daily. Ottawa, ON: Government of Canada.
Between April 24 and May 1 2020, Statistics Canada collected data via an online questionnaire from approximately 46,000 Canadians on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health. Almost one-quarter of participants indicated fair or poor mental health. Over half reported that their mental health has worsened since physical distancing restrictions were implemented. Those financially affected…Read More
ILO Monitor: COVID-19 and the world of work, 4th ed. Geneva, Switzerland: International Labour Organization.
This forth edition of the ILO Monitor updates estimates and analysis on the effects of COVID-19 on the world of work. Key messages include that 94% of the world’s workers are living in countries with some sort of workplace closures in place. Estimates suggest that testing for and tracing of infections can help to reduce…Read More
Considerations for basic income as a COVID-19 response. The School of Public Policy Publications, SPP Briefing Paper, 13(11). Calgary, AB: University of Calgary.
The effectiveness of policies like the CERB (Canada Emergency Response Benefit) during the pandemic has raised the profile of basic income as a policy option. The goal in this briefing paper is to set out the key questions that must be answered in deciding whether and how to implement basic income, or any alternative social…Read More
The impact of COVID-19 on the gig economy: Short- and long-term concerns. StatCan COVID-19: Data to Insights for a Better Canada. Catalogue no. 45280001. Ottawa, ON: Statistics Canada, Government of Canada.
Gig workers (GWs) are over-represented in the services industry, which has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors argue that the impact of COVID-19 on GWs is likely to be unevenly distributed, largely depending on the nature and type of gig work. Immediate effects will depend on certain characteristics, mainly age, place of…Read More
The Week Ahead – U.S., Europe, Asia-Pacific. High Technology Is North America’s Biggest Corporate Borrower. New York: Moody’s Analytics.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the U.S. unemployment rate and the measure of labour underutilization jumped to 14.7% and 22.8%, respectively, in April 2020. However, both measures underestimate the current economic situation since many workers were absent from work due to COVID-19-related business closures and classified as “employed but absent from work”…Read More
VSE COVID-19 risk/reward assessment tool. University of British Columbia, Vancouver School of Economics.
The VSE COVID Risk/Reward Assessment Tool compares the risks and benefits of re-opening different sectors of the British Columbia economy (over 300 occupations in over 100 industries). It features an interactive figure and a table with more detailed information on the risks associated with specific sectors and occupations. The analysis of risk is presented according…Read More
Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on postsecondary students. The Daily. Ottawa, ON: Government of Canada.
Statistics Canada collected data via an online questionnaire from more than 100,000 postsecondary students between April 19 and May 1 about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected their academic, labour market and financial situations. Most participants reported an academic disruption because of the pandemic and a major impact on their employment plans. Many student participants…Read More
Impact of COVID-19 on Small Businesses in Canada. StatCan COVID-19: Data to Insights for a Better Canada. Ottawa, ON: Government of Canada.
Statistics Canada collected data from 12,600 businesses that took part in an online questionnaire between April 3 and April 24 about how COVID-19 has affected them. The findings show that small businesses (fewer than 100 employees) were more likely to report that their revenues from Q1 were down by 20% or more (compared to Q1…Read More
Is the cure worse than the problem itself? Immediate labor market effects of COVID-19 case rates and school closures in the U.S. NBER Working Paper 27127. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.
This paper looks at whether the nationwide public health shock of the COVID-19 pandemic or individual state mitigation policies had a greater effect on increasing unemployment in the United States. The authors found that the unprecedented increase in new unemployment claims between March 15–28 was similar across all states. This suggests that most labour market…Read More