The Brantford-Brant jobless rate maintained its upward trend in July but remains lower than most surrounding regions.
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The local unemployment rate climbed 0.3 percentage points in July – to six per cent – according to Statistics Canada’s seasonally adjusted figures released Friday.
The national jobless rate remained unchanged at 6.4 per cent last month, while Ontario’s shrunk to 6.7 per cent.
In labor markets near Brantford, only Guelph saw a lower unemployment rate – 3.9 per cent – in July.
Locally, job losses were concentrated in the manufacturing and educational services sectors, both of which have decreased consistently over the last six months.
Employment continued to grow in several other sectors, including business, building and other support services, healthcare and social assistance, and accommodation and food services.
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“Employers across Grand Erie have slowed down on hiring, especially for part-time roles,” said Danette Dalton, executive director of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie. “As a result, we are seeing fewer opportunities for youth and older workers to participate in the workforce.”
Compared to July 2023, there were roughly 4,000 fewer youth, and another 4,000 fewer people aged 55-plus, employed.
“We need to find ways to engage individuals who are unable to find suitable work, and this involves meeting them where they are at with their skill development needs,” said Dalton.
Through surveying both businesses and workers, the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie aims to identify opportunities to bridge workforce gaps. Residents are encouraged to complete the Workforce Skills and Training Survey, and employers are encouraged to complete the EmployerOne survey, both available on the planning board’s website: www.workforceplanningboard.org
About 1,500 employers in Grand Erie were looking to hire in July, unchanged from June, according to Grand Erie Jobs, the planning board’s community online job board. However, actual postings decreased by eight per hundred month over month.
The Workforce Planning Board is one of 26 non-profit organizations in Ontario that play a leadership role in labor force planning. The board is funded in part by the federal and provincial governments.
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