Number of strikes and lockouts in Canada
Canada: Number of strikes and lockouts was 778 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Number of strikes and lockouts in Canada, 1969–2023
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
Canada recorded 778 for number of strikes and lockouts in 2023. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 342.0% on the previous year and up 371.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of strikes and lockouts in Canada peaked at 778 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 131, in 2019.
That places Canada 4th out of 99 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of strikes and lockouts in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1969 | 595 | — |
| 1970 | 542 | -8.9% |
| 1971 | 569 | +5.0% |
| 1986 | 748 | +31.5% |
| 1987 | 668 | -10.7% |
| 1988 | 548 | -18.0% |
| 1989 | 627 | +14.4% |
| 1990 | 579 | -7.7% |
| 1991 | 463 | -20.0% |
| 1992 | 404 | -12.7% |
| 1993 | 381 | -5.7% |
| 1994 | 374 | -1.8% |
| 1995 | 328 | -12.3% |
| 1996 | 329 | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 285 | -13.4% |
| 1998 | 381 | +33.7% |
| 1999 | 412 | +8.1% |
| 2000 | 378 | -8.3% |
| 2001 | 383 | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 294 | -23.2% |
| 2003 | 267 | -9.2% |
| 2004 | 297 | +11.2% |
| 2005 | 260 | -12.5% |
| 2006 | 151 | -41.9% |
| 2007 | 206 | +36.4% |
| 2008 | 188 | -8.7% |
| 2009 | 157 | -16.5% |
| 2010 | 174 | +10.8% |
| 2011 | 149 | -14.4% |
| 2012 | 281 | +88.6% |
| 2013 | 165 | -41.3% |
| 2014 | 153 | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 237 | +54.9% |
| 2016 | 190 | -19.8% |
| 2017 | 191 | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 173 | -9.4% |
| 2019 | 131 | -24.3% |
| 2021 | 186 | +42.0% |
| 2022 | 176 | -5.4% |
| 2023 | 778 | +342.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 595 | 595 | 595 | 1 |
| 1970s | 555.5 | 542 | 569 | 2 |
| 1980s | 647.75 | 548 | 748 | 4 |
| 1990s | 393.6 | 285 | 579 | 10 |
| 2000s | 258.1 | 151 | 383 | 10 |
| 2010s | 184.4 | 131 | 281 | 10 |
| 2020s | 380 | 176 | 778 | 3 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More work & labour data for Canada
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual 0.3281 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth 0.3334 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth 0.3231 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.29 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.6552 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 39,234 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,715 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 26,798 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 26,814 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 53,612 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of strikes and lockouts in Canada?
- Number of strikes and lockouts in Canada was 778 in 2023, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest number of strikes and lockouts recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 778 in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of strikes and lockouts recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 131 in 2019.
- How does Canada rank for number of strikes and lockouts?
- Canada ranks 4th out of 99 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of strikes and lockouts rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 371.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Number of strikes and lockouts. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 40 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
A strike is a temporary work stoppage carried out by one or more groups of workers with a view to enforcing or resisting demands or expressing grievances, or supporting other workers in their demands or grievances. A lockout is a total or partial temporary closure of one or more places of employment, or the hindering of the normal work activities of employees, by one or more employers with a view to enforcing or resisting demands or expressing grievances, or supporting other employers in their demands or grievances. Data disaggregated by economic activity are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) available for that year. Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISIC. For more information, refer to the Industrial Relations data (IRdata) database description.