Technical Notes

Indicators based on 1996 to 1999 labour force data (STC)

• Regional unemployment rates and youth unemployment rates where calculated as annual averages from the Canadian Labour Force Survey (LFS). The estimates were derived by linking, at the enumeration area (EA) level, the LFS geography to health regions.
  
  
• Some health regions could not be published as the estimated rate did not meet the minimum requirements for quality and confidentiality.
  
  
• The LFS is a monthly sample of approximately 52,000 households. The survey is designed to represent the Canadian population aged 15 years and older. The survey excludes Indian reserves, full time members of the Canadian Forces, and persons living in institutions. The survey also excludes the Territories.
  
  
• The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed persons divided by the labour force population, expressed as a percentage. An unemployed person is someone who:
  
  • was without work and had looked for work
  • was on temporary layoff and available for work
  • had a new job to start in the future.
    
    
  The labour force population consists of the unemployed people plus the employed persons. To be employed, a person
  
  • worked at any job at all
  • had a job but was not at work during the reference week.