The new IdQ Jobs Index
A new tool from the Institut du Québec for a clearer understanding of employment trends
September 9, 2016
The Institut du Québec has just released the IdQ Job Index, a new tool intended to offer a more complete and objective picture of employment changes and trends in Quebec.
Mia Homsy, Director of the Institut du Québec, says that “In designing this new index, we wanted to get people thinking in a more balanced way about changes in the job market, reduce partisanship around employment data and highlight current strengths and weaknesses in the Quebec labour market.”
The new tool combines two composite indexes: one describing the vitality of the labour market and the other, job quality. Each index is made up of a series of six indicators.
For the one-year period from August 2015 to August 2016, the data indicate:
- A stronger labour market (primarily thanks to the lower unemployment and long-term unemployment rate).
- Lower job quality (mainly because of poorer performance by high-paying jobs).
Source: August 2016 monthly report (pdf) (in French)
The IdQ Job Index report is updated monthly, within two hours of the official publication of Statistics Canada employment data. It is available on the Institut du Québec website.
The Conference Board of Canada and HEC Montréal joined forces to create the Institut du Québec, a research institute drawing on both organizations’ knowledge and credibility. Their alliance makes it possible to maximize the potential offered by their combined expertise by offering custom solutions to the competitiveness issues facing Quebec.