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How much unemployment rose when the cycle turned

Canada · rise in the unemployment rate from pre-recession low to cycle peak (percentage points)

Unit: percentage points
How much unemployment rose when the cycle turnedUnemployment rose 6.0 points in the early-1980s recession and 4.9 points around 1990–92. Both followed rate hikes. Unit: percentage points. Low = minimum in the 12 months up to the C.D. Howe peak; high = maximum in the 36 months after. Use left and right arrow keys to inspect observations. The data table follows the chart.How much unemployment rose when the cycle turnedUnemployment increasepercentage points0 pp2 pp4 pp6 pp8 pp10 pp1981–82 (after 21% rate)6 pp1990–92 (after 14% rate)4.9 pp2008–09 (global financial…2.8 pp2020 (pandemic shutdown)8.7 ppHomies Research, using Statistics Canada LFS (v2062815) and C.D. Howe recession dates · Through 2026-09Low = minimum in the 12 months up to the C.D. Howe peak; high = maximum in the 36 months afterHOMIES RESEARCH
1981–82 (after 21% rate): 6 pp

Unemployment rose 6.0 points in the early-1980s recession and 4.9 points around 1990–92. Both followed rate hikes.

Source: Homies Research, using Statistics Canada LFS (v2062815) and C.D. Howe recession dates. Reference: 2026-09. Release date not supplied by source feed. Retrieved 2026-10-27.

Low = minimum in the 12 months up to the C.D. Howe peak; high = maximum in the 36 months after · 2020 was a shutdown, not a rate-driven recession; it is shown for scale only.

CSVChart permalink ↗
View accessible data table · 1 series, 4 observations
How much unemployment rose when the cycle turned. Unit: percentage points. Low = minimum in the 12 months up to the C.D. Howe peak; high = maximum in the 36 months after
MarketUnemployment increase
1981–82 (after 21% rate)6 pp
1990–92 (after 14% rate)4.9 pp
2008–09 (global financial crisis)2.8 pp
2020 (pandemic shutdown)8.7 pp

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