Statistics Canada is starting a pilot project to collect information on race and visible minority status as part of its monthly jobs report starting with the survey next month.
The agency says it recognizes that the social, economic and labour market impacts of COVID-19 have not been equally felt by all Canadians.
The collection of information on race and visible minority status, it says, will help improve the survey’s usefulness and provide insights on populations of interest and assist in making evidence-based decisions.
Statistics Canada’s monthly labour force survey is one of the most closely watched economic indicators as it measures the number of jobs created or lost in a month and the unemployment rate.
The change comes amid a broader discussion of systemic racism in Canada.
The agency says it already collects information on the country of birth and immigration status of those surveyed.