Ottawa Employment Trends
The unemployment rate in Ottawa was 7% as of January 2026, down 0.3% from the previous month. The unemployment rate stood 3.1% below the peak from July 2020 but remains above the long-run average.
There were 300 fewer full-time jobs in January 2026 compared to a month earlier. Combined with a gain of 2,000 part-time positions, this led to an increase of 1,700 total jobs in January.
Full-time employment was down 37,500 jobs from the peak in May 2025 but stood 5,700 jobs above the trough in November 2025.
* All figures are seasonally adjusted, 3-month moving averages. Seasonal adjustment removes normal seasonal fluctuations.
