A surge in hiring within the health-care sectors of Alberta and Ontario has been the driving force behind job market growth in Canada. This growth, primarily in public health institutions, reflects a larger trend of increased investment in the health sector in these provinces.
Recent data analyzed by Desjardins Group reveals that Alberta and Ontario have collectively added over 100,000 health-care jobs since the onset of the U.S. trade war. Both provinces have allocated substantial budget increases for health care, with Ontario budgeting $91.5 billion and Alberta budgeting $24 billion in the previous year.
The employment landscape in Canada would have remained relatively stagnant without the significant hiring in the health-care sector, according to Desjardins’ deputy chief economist Randall Bartlett. This suggests that claims of a strong Canadian economy may be somewhat misleading.
Statistics from the Labour Force Survey indicate that since March 2025, the health-care and social assistance sector has seen a net addition of nearly 133,000 jobs nationwide, with a notable emphasis on hospitals and elderly care services.
While the hiring boom in health care aligns with efforts in Alberta and Ontario to boost public health services, experts caution that increased spending and job growth do not automatically translate to improved patient care quality.
In Alberta, the restructuring of the health authority into multiple agencies has led to significant workforce expansion. However, concerns have been raised about whether the new jobs directly contribute to frontline patient care.
Looking ahead, the rise in health-care spending is expected to continue, driven by factors such as demographic shifts and an aging population. Despite the spending growth, experts stress that the focus should be on achieving better health outcomes rather than solely increasing expenditures.
The ongoing hiring trend in the health-care sector is projected to persist in Alberta and Ontario, with both provinces planning additional health-care spending in the coming years to address growing demands and challenges in their respective systems.