Gig Economy Growing: 870,000 Canadians Turn to Flexible Jobs, Digital Self-Employment

Nearly 900,000 Canadians turned to gig work as their main job in the final three months of 2022, according to a newly released report from Statistics Canada (StatCan), a government agency. While Canadians have increasingly turned to gig work to supplement their income amid the rising cost of living, for 871,000 workers it’s become their primary job. Statistics Canada defines gig work as a form of employment that does not guarantee steady work and is characterized by short-term jobs or tasks. Of the 871,000 Canadians who identified “gig work” as their main job, 624,000 had a main job with no employees, business partners, or a physical building or premises dedicated to their employment activity, the statistics agency said....