Work in the Time of COVID

A look at some COVID-19 numbers—from the impact on employment to the millions who have applied for financial relief to the social impact of living and working through a pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected nearly every aspect of life in Canada—from how we learn to how we shop to how we interact with friends, family, and coworkers. Industries of all types have been feeling the pinch—and will likely continue to for the foreseeable future.

Workplaces have had to adapt to the changing landscape—for better or worse. The Institute for Work & Health estimates that one in five incidences of COVID-19 can be linked to the workplace.

Many workers have been laid off—some permanently—while others have seen their hours reduced. Still others have been busier than ever. For example, a Statistics Canada survey found that nurses who worked overtime in April and May this year averaged almost 50 percent more hours than the same period in 2019.

Before you lose yourself to the doom and gloom, take heart: as the months progress, unemployment rates have been dropping, and the country is almost back to its pre-COVID employment numbers. Plus, Canadians have largely been staying the course by following physical distancing protocols and PPE recommendations to help the country return to normal, as fast as possible—though what that normal will look like, only time will tell.

The infographic below looks at some COVID-19 numbers—from the impact on employment to the millions who have applied for financial relief to the social impact of living and working through a pandemic.