A surge in hiring within the health-care sectors of Alberta and Ontario has been a significant driver of job market growth in Canada. This trend, highlighted in a recent report by Desjardins Group analyzing Statistics Canada data, reveals that the two provinces collectively added over 100,000 health-care positions in public institutions since the onset of the U.S. trade war. This hiring spree aligns with increased budget allocations for the health sector in Alberta and Ontario, with both provinces planning to invest billions more in health care in 2026 compared to the previous year.
The report’s author, Desjardins’ deputy chief economist Randall Bartlett, emphasized that without this surge in health-care employment, Canada’s overall job market would have remained stagnant. This underscores the crucial role the health-care sector is playing in driving employment growth amid broader economic challenges.
Data from the Labour Force Survey indicates that since March 2025, nearly 133,000 jobs have been created in the health-care and social assistance sector nationwide, with a particular emphasis on hiring in hospitals and services for the elderly. This hiring pattern stands out as more significant than job growth in other sectors combined.
The targeted increase in health-care spending by Alberta and Ontario reflects a strategic approach to bolstering public health infrastructure. However, experts caution that simply expanding the workforce and allocating more funds to health care may not automatically translate into improved patient services. Fiona Clement, from the Centre for Health Policy at the University of Calgary, emphasizes the importance of ensuring that increased spending leads to tangible enhancements in the health-care system.
In Alberta, restructuring efforts have led to the creation of four separate health agencies, necessitating a growth in the workforce to support these changes. Despite the uptick in health-care employment, concerns remain about the allocation of these new positions to frontline patient care roles, as data indicates a lack of substantial growth in the number of physicians in the province.
Looking ahead, projections suggest that demographic shifts, including the retirement of a significant number of health professionals, could be driving the current hiring trends in the health sector. Moreover, the gradual increase in health-care spending over time is a common trend driven by population growth and evolving health care needs.
While the current focus on expanding health-care employment is expected to continue in the coming years, experts emphasize the need for a strategic approach to ensure that increased spending translates into tangible improvements in the health-care system. Ultimately, the success of these hiring initiatives will be measured by the impact on patient care outcomes and the overall effectiveness of public spending in the health-care sector.
