What’s Driving the Surge in Health Care Hiring in Canada?

Since the US administration first slapped tariffs on imports from Canada in March 2025, hiring in health care has been almost singlehandedly responsible for national employment gains.

The surge in health care hiring has largely been concentrated in a small number of provinces, notably Alberta and Ontario, that meaningfully increased public health spending in the 2026 budget season. In combination with a return to population growth and already high per capita spending in Alberta in particular, we believe strong job creation in the health care sector is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

That said, it’s important to recognize that this health care hiring boom doesn’t reflect underlying economic conditions and shouldn’t be taken as an indication of strength in the Canadian economy or labour market. But beyond the areas of Canada’s economy that are clearly being influenced by public spending, the Canadian labour market remains resilient in the face of ongoing US policy uncertainty and volatility.