🚨 Youth Job Crisis Worsens in Canada: B.C. Among the Hardest Hit

By Troy Tyrell | WBN News Vancouver | June 19, 2025
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Vancouver, BC – June 25, 2025, Canada's youth are facing the worst summer job market in over a decade, with national unemployment for individuals aged 15–24 reaching 14.2%, according to new data from Statistics Canada. In British Columbia, that number jumps to 16.6%, making it the second-highest youth unemployment rate in the country.

“This is no longer a seasonal slowdown—this is a structural youth employment emergency,” said Dr. Karima Saeed, a labour economist at Simon Fraser University.

For returning students seeking summer work, the situation is even more dire: 1 in 5 are unemployed, with a 20.1% unemployment rate, according to May 2025 labour force surveys. These levels were last seen during the late '90s and the global financial crisis of 2009.

🔍 What’s Causing the Spike?

1. Shrinking Summer Job Market

Retail, hospitality, and tourism sectors that traditionally employ students, have seen post-pandemic recovery slow, leaving fewer entry-level jobs on the table.

2. Increased Competition from Older Workers

Older adults and recent immigrants are re-entering the workforce, competing for the same jobs previously available to younger workers with less experience.

3. Mismatch Between Education and Workforce Demand

Even college graduates are not exempt. A recent report by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives suggests Canada’s education system is failing to prepare youth for real-world, in-demand careers in tech, trades, and emerging energy sectors.

💸 The Cost of Doing Nothing

The long-term consequences are sobering. A joint Deloitte-King’s Trust report estimates that continued youth unemployment at current rates could cost Canada $18.5 billion in GDP by 2034 due to delayed workforce integration and lower lifetime earnings.

Psychologically, the damage is already visible. Mental health specialists at McGill and UBC have noted a marked increase in depression, anxiety, and hopelessness among unemployed youth, a pattern mirrored globally.

“When a young person can’t find a job, it’s more than a missed paycheck. It’s a missed chance to build self-worth,” said Kendra Lowe, a youth employment advisor in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

🛠️ What Can Be Done?

The federal government has pledged $150–$200 million in new investments through the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) and Canada Summer Jobs, which aims to support over 130,000 job placements in 2025. But critics argue this approach remains reactive rather than systemic.

🧭 A Local Solution? Train Like You Mean It

As a veteran Vancouver personal trainer and youth mentor, I believe physical training methods can be part of the solution.

“I coach people in discipline, progress tracking, goal-setting, and failure recovery, all things young workers need, too, in the Tsquared Personal Training facility just blocks from the Sandman Hotel in downtown Vancouver.

I am now in talks with local nonprofits to pilot a “Fitness for Employability” bootcamp that combines gym-style routines with mentorship, trades exposure, and basic financial literacy.

“If we can train bodies, we can train minds. Give me 90 days and a group of unemployed youth, and I will give them grit, confidence, and maybe even a new career path.”

🔚 Final Word

The youth unemployment rate may be a statistic, but behind it are stories of lost potential, frustrated ambition, and delayed independence. While macro solutions require policy, micro solutions may start with mentorship, hands-on training, and rethinking what a “job prep” program looks like.

For now, the numbers don’t lie: Canada’s next generation is being priced out of the present.

By Troy Tyrell, Founder of Tsquared Personal Training
WBN Contributor | Community Builder | Mountain Biker | Advocate for Local Business & Fitness
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TAGS: #Canada Job Crisis #Youth Unemployment #Gen Z Jobs #BC Unemployment #Skills Training #Workforce Development #Troy Tyrell #WBN News Vancouver

Editor: Elke Porter