Ontario lost 355,000 jobs in 2020, marking single largest decline on record: FAO

Ontario's fiscal watchdog says the province lost morethan 355,000 jobs last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Financial Accountability Officer says in a new report Thursdaythat the job losses represent the single largest annual decline onrecord.

The report says that in addition to job losses, more than 765,000Ontarioresidents worked fewer hours because of the pandemic.

The FAO says young workers were the hardest hit group, as youthunemployment jumped to 22 per cent.

The largest increase in job losses occurred in Peterborough, Ont., with a 13.5 per cent decline, and Windsor, Ont., which experienced a 10.9 per cent drop.

The hardest hit sector was accommodation and food services, withover 110,000 job losses.