Canadians struggling to find stable employment or switch jobs may face an uphill battle over the next 12 months as the trade war keeps most businesses stuck in neutral and the job market “subdued.”

A new report from the Bank of Canada shows a large portion of businesses say they are taking a wait-and-see approach rather than investing in growing their operations and hiring new workers.

According to the central bank’s Business Outlook Survey for the third quarter of 2025 , most businesses say they expect demand “weakness” for their products and services over the next year, which means many are expected to hold off on hiring new employees.

“Hiring intentions remain subdued. Most firms do not plan to increase the size of their workforce over the next 12 months. Soft demand, ongoing tarif

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