The Stratford-Bruce Peninsula region’s unemployment rate increased slightly last month to 3.7 per cent – two per cent below the provincial average – according to Statistics Canada data published by the Four County Labor Market Planning Board Friday.
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In November, the region’s overall population and labor force each increased by 300 while both the number of people not participating in the labor force and the number of those participating in the labor force remained unchanged. Though employment saw an increase by 200 workers, it was the result of 1,500 full-time employment losses and 1,700 part-time employment gains.
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The number of goods-producing sector employees decreased by net 1,800 in November. The construction industry saw the biggest loss last month with 1,500, or 7.9 per cent, followed by 1,300, or 7.2 per cent, fewer jobs in manufacturing. Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas experienced the biggest gains last month, with a 20.7 per cent increase or 500 jobs, followed by agriculture, which saw an increase of 4.7 per cent or 600 jobs.
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Employment in the services-producing sector increased by net 2,000 or 2.1 per cent last month. Transportation saw the biggest gain – an increase of 32.4 per cent or 1,200 jobs – followed by education, which saw a bump of 21.6 per cent or 1,600 jobs, and health care and social assistance, which saw a jump of 12.2 per cent or 1,700 jobs . Information, culture and recreation saw the biggest losses with 900 fewer jobs, a decrease of 20.9 per cent, followed by public administration, which saw a loss of 18.8 per cent or 600 jobs, and professional, scientific and technical services, which saw a loss of 9.2 per hundred or 900 jobs.
“We are encouraged by the increases in the health-care, social-assistance and agriculture sectors and will continue to monitor these changes,” labor market planning board executive director Dana Soucie said in a press release. “Although we see decreases in the goods-producing sector, this is expected due to seasonality.”
Current job postings for the Bruce, Grey, Huron and Perth region have increased over time since the pandemic and can be found at www.connect2jobs.ca. The current number of job postings has reached more than 7,000.
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