Trucking and logistics job growth outpaces Canadian labour market
OTTAWA, ON (September 14, 2026) — Canada’s trucking and logistics sector employed 21,600 more workers in August than it did a year earlier, an increase of 2.7%, according to new research from Trucking HR Canada (THRC).
Between July and August this year, employment held steady both for drivers and the sector as a whole. August employment of drivers was marginally higher than July, up 0.6% or 2,200 jobs, while employment in the sector overall edged up slightly, growing by 4,500 jobs compared to July, an increase of 0.5%.
Employment growth in the sector outpaced the Canadian labour market overall, which grew by 1% over the same period. Canada’s unemployment rate also declined, from 7.1% in August 2025 to 6.4% in August 2026.
“The August numbers point to a tightening labour market for trucking and logistics,” says Craig Faucette, Chief Operating Officer, Trucking HR Canada. “Employment is growing faster than in the overall labour market, including among transport truck drivers, while fewer people are actively seeking work in the sector. This growth is notable given the economic uncertainty created by ongoing trade tensions with the United States. We will continue to monitor how new tariffs affect the sector’s workforce.”
Transport truck driver employment also increased, with 9,100 more drivers employed than in August 2025. At the same time, the trucking and logistics sector had nearly 10,000 fewer unemployed people actively seeking work than it did 12 months earlier.
Other highlights:
- Unemployment continued to trend downward across the trucking and logistics sector and among transport truck drivers
- The number of unemployed transport truck drivers declined by 3,300 compared with August 2025
THRC is Canada’s leading source of labour market intelligence for the trucking and logistics sector. Our economics team combines Statistics Canada data with proprietary data gathered directly from employers nationwide to deliver the sector’s most comprehensive analysis of employment, job vacancies, and demographic trends. This intelligence spans the entire road transportation network—including for-hire carriers and private fleets operating in energy, manufacturing, construction, retail, food processing, and other industries.
THRC also develops forecasts to help employers, governments, and industry partners better understand the sector’s workforce needs over the next five to seven years.
Explore all THRC labour market reports.
Trucking HR Canada (THRC) is the national, non-profit workforce development organization for Canada’s trucking and logistics sector. Established in 2012, THRC is the recognized authority on workforce strategy for the industry, providing labour market intelligence, workforce research, skills development initiatives, occupational standards, training resources and evidence-based human resource solutions.
Working closely with employers, industry associations, governments, educators and workforce stakeholders, THRC supports a sector that employs nearly 800,000 Canadians and plays a critical role in Canada’s supply chain.
Media contact: comms@truckinghr.com
Restez au courant!
Abonnez-vous à notre infolettre pour recevoir chaque semaine les plus récentes données, nouvelles, histoires et annonces d’événements directement dans votre boîte de réception.