What it measures
Dimension: Economic Security
This indicator reports trends in job quality in Canada. The CIBC Index of Employment Quality tracks patterns in the distribution of full-time and part-time work, the pay associated with any given job, and relative job stability. Monitoring job quality gives depth to our understanding of trends in employment numbers. For example, a surge of job opportunities may be considered positive, but if overall job quality decreases then income trends may not keep pace with the positive growth in employment due to greater numbers of part-time workers. In 2013, Canadian employment quality was recorded at an all-time low.
Why this matters
Higher job quality is linked to better financial security, which is positively related to mental and physical health. As such, higher index scores are indicative of population wellbeing.