Number of people employed in agriculture in Canada
Canada: Number of people employed in agriculture was 226,258 people in 2025. ▼ Falling
Number of people employed in agriculture in Canada, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2025, number of people employed in agriculture in Canada stood at 226,258 people. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 2.0% on the previous year and down 25.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people employed in agriculture in Canada peaked at 462,673 people in 1991 and was at its lowest, 226,258 people, in 2025.
That places Canada 113th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Number of people employed in agriculture in Canada, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 462,673 people | — |
| 1992 | 452,234 people | -2.3% |
| 1993 | 458,312 people | +1.3% |
| 1994 | 449,699 people | -1.9% |
| 1995 | 430,941 people | -4.2% |
| 1996 | 428,932 people | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 423,347 people | -1.3% |
| 1998 | 431,643 people | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 415,595 people | -3.7% |
| 2000 | 381,871 people | -8.1% |
| 2001 | 331,793 people | -13.1% |
| 2002 | 332,969 people | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 339,745 people | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 331,597 people | -2.4% |
| 2005 | 352,428 people | +6.3% |
| 2006 | 352,005 people | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 338,004 people | -4.0% |
| 2008 | 335,336 people | -0.8% |
| 2009 | 328,163 people | -2.1% |
| 2010 | 310,866 people | -5.3% |
| 2011 | 314,038 people | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 310,548 people | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 329,059 people | +6.0% |
| 2014 | 316,436 people | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 303,551 people | -4.1% |
| 2016 | 361,892 people | +19.2% |
| 2017 | 287,937 people | -20.4% |
| 2018 | 293,302 people | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 302,913 people | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 288,247 people | -4.8% |
| 2021 | 266,512 people | -7.5% |
| 2022 | 264,635 people | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 261,544 people | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 230,932 people | -11.7% |
| 2025 | 226,258 people | -2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 439,264 people | 415,595 people | 462,673 people | 9 |
| 2000s | 342,391 people | 328,163 people | 381,871 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 313,054 people | 287,937 people | 361,892 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 256,355 people | 226,258 people | 288,247 people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More agriculture & rural data for Canada
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 31.61 % change on previous year (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0193 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2022)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,092 current US$ per person (2022)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.0803 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.1712 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 1.9% (2022)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 1.9% (2022)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people employed in agriculture in Canada?
- Number of people employed in agriculture in Canada was 226,258 people in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 462,673 people in 1991.
- What is the lowest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 226,258 people in 2025.
- How does Canada rank for number of people employed in agriculture?
- Canada ranks 113th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people employed in agriculture rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people employed in agriculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people working in agriculture, including hunting, forestry and fishing.