WPBGE, Author at Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie

April job numbers show little change

by WPBGE | May 14, 2024 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

April 2024 employment numbers for Brantford-Brant once again saw little change compared to recent months.

After sitting at 4.9% for three straight months, April’s local unemployment rate was 5%, according to seasonally adjusted figures from Statistics Canada.

Even though the Canadian economy added 90,000 jobs in April – far more than forecasted – the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.1%. Ontario added 25,000 of those jobs, but the provincial jobless rate still nudged up 0.1 percentage points to 6.8%.

In labour markets nearest to Brantford, only Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo saw their unemployment rate fall last month. Brantford maintained its second-place spot after Guelph, whose is the lowest at 4.4%.

“The Brantford area labour market continues to be healthy and stable, and the status quo is a good position to be in,” said Danette Dalton, executive director of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie. “But alongside that story, there are other interesting trends that have become more noticeable.”

One of those trends relates to shifts in work type.

There has been little change in total local employment in the last 12 months, but the number of residents working full time has increased by about 3,300, while part-time work has fallen by an equivalent number.

“It’s considered a positive barometer for the economy when full-time jobs increase,” Dalton said. “It points to employers doing well financially and having greater business confidence, and they show it by hiring or moving part-timers to full time.”

Of the jobs posted in April on the Grand Erie Jobs online job board, operated by the planning board, four in five were full-time positions. Almost 90% were permanent positions, either full time or part time.

There were more than 1,900 new postings last month. Combined with the postings carried over from March, the total of postings appearing in April was 3,500. The number of employers posting jobs was up 5% to 1,400.

Visit Statistics Canada’s website to read their news release on the April 2024 employment numbers for Canada and Ontario.

Brantford area job market holds steady

by WPBGE | Apr 9, 2024 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

March 2024 employment figures showed the Brantford-Brant and Norfolk labour markets are holding steady.

The Brantford-Brant jobless rate stood still for the third straight month at 4.9% in March, according to Statistics Canada’s estimates, based on its monthly survey of local households.

Meanwhile, Norfolk’s unemployment rate was estimated to be 4.6% in March, the first time in six months a figure has been released. Statistics Canada doesn’t release some figures when there isn’t enough data. March’s rate was almost identical to the 4.5% reported last September.

Population changes continue to be the No. 1 factor influencing the labour markets at the national and provincial level, but less so locally.

Canada’s unemployment rate jumped in March by 0.3% to 6.1% – the largest increase in months – though employment only fell by an estimated 2,200 across the country. Ontario’s jobless rate climbed to 6.7%, even though 26,000 more people were working.

Brantford 2024 employment figures showed that about 400 more people were working last month, continuing slow but steady employment growth since last summer. Employment has grown by an estimated 3,500 since August, but is almost identical to March 2023 when about 79,500 people were employed.

“These numbers don’t spark great excitement and, sure, we would have liked to see more job growth,” said Danette Dalton, the workforce planning board’s executive director.

“But the fact that we’ve held steady while the population has grown is a positive. Our labour market has been able to absorb population growth, replacing workers leaving the workforce with new people.”

Dalton added that in many other communities, including most of those surrounding Brantford-Brant and Norfolk, employment gains have lagged behind population growth.

Visit Statistics Canada’s website to read their news release on the March 2024 employment numbers for Canada and Ontario.

Brantford area job market stands out

by WPBGE | Mar 13, 2024 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

February 2024 employment numbers show the Brantford area labour market continues to be a bit of an anomaly compared to some of its neighbours, as well as Ontario and Canada.

To begin with, the Brantford-Brant jobless rate was unchanged in February, at 4.9%, while it increased in Hamilton, St. Catharines-Niagara, London, Ontario and Canada, according to Statistics Canada’s seasonally adjusted figures released Friday.

Canada’s jobless rate inched up to 5.8%, despite 41,000 job gains, while Ontario’s climbed to 6.5%.

Within a one-hour commute, only Guelph had a lower February unemployment rate than Brantford. And only Brantford has seen a jobless rate below 5% for 6 months straight.

“It’s tricky comparing the labour markets of communities, since each have some unique characteristics, types of employers and workers,” said Danette Dalton, the Planning Board’s executive director. “Still, it’s a strength that Brantford has been able to buck some trends for months.”

A second anomaly in Brantford’s labour market over the last six months has been the relationship between population growth and employment growth, Dalton said.

The main storyline regarding the labour force for months nationally and provincially has been that population growth has outpaced employment growth. Since August, Canada’s working age population (those who are 15+ in age) has swelled by 527,000, while employment has grown by 183,000.

Ontario’s working age population has grown by 236,000 since August, but employment is only up 4,400, according to Statistics Canada’s February 2024 employment numbers.

Among neighbouring labour markets, only Brantford and Guelph have had employment gains above their population growth. Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo job gains match population growth, but Hamilton, London and St. Catharines-Niagara have lagged behind.

“It’s a positive that Brantford’s employment gains have surged. Hopefully, that trend continues, and job seekers and employers gain greater confidence in the local economy,” Dalton said.

About 1,400 employers in Grand Erie were looking to hire in February, up 17% from January, according to Grand Erie Jobs, the planning board’s community online job board. However, actual postings were down slightly to 1,900.

Visit Statistics Canada’s website to read their news release on the February 2024 employment numbers for Canada and Ontario.

2024’s labour market plan is published

by WPBGE | Mar 1, 2024 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

2024’s labour market plan for Grand Erie talks about the need for all players in the local labour force to work together to manage expectations in the face of disruptions caused by external factors.

The Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie’s newest labour market plan is titled Moving Beyond Disruption: Managing Expectations for Tomorrow’s Workforce.

The planning board publishes a report each year with support from the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

The 50-page report drew on community input and data analysis to paint a picture of the labour market in Brantford, Six Nations of the Grand River, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and Haldimand, Norfolk and Brant counties.

Danette Dalton, the planning board’s executive director, said that Grand Erie’s labour market has been impacted over the last year by disruptions caused from inflation, foreign conflicts, climate change and the emergence of AI. Those disruptions are expected to continue.

“Moving beyond disruption means we need to take the time to make sustainable decisions that are supportive of our workforce, our businesses, our communities and our environment – today and in the future,” said Dalton.

Job seekers, workers and businesses have different priorities and expectations on a wide number of labour issues, from wages to skills training, from flexible work to diversity. But the different groups will have to work together constructively, compromising sometimes, in order to cope with the disruptions.

Dalton said 2024’s labour market plan confirms the need for continued investment in skills training and upgrading, especially for residents not participating in the labour market. And work needs to continue to support groups that have been historically underrepresented in the labour market, including residents who are Indigenous, racialized, newcomers, people with disabilities and youth.

“Workforce development strategies for Grand Erie need to be human-centred. There are many people who feel overwhelmed by the disruptions that have taken place and don’t think they have a place in today’s labour market. They need our support.”

English and French versions of Moving Beyond Disruption can be found on our website HERE

January 2024 job numbers for area

by WPBGE | Feb 9, 2024 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

January 2024 employment numbers for Brantford-Brant showed a slight increase in the local jobless rate.

Brantford-Brant’s unemployment rate last month was 4.9%, up from December’s 4.3, according to Statistics Canada’s monthly labour force survey figures, which were released Friday.

Canada’s unemployment rate fell to 5.7% last month, while Ontario’s rate was unchanged at 6.2%.

There were signs in January that local employers were looking to fill more positions, and that more people were searching for work.

“Continued economic uncertainty, supply chain disruptions and the end of seasonal work are the likely
culprits for the percentage increase”, said Danette Dalton, the Workforce Planning Board’s executive
director. “We have seen a somewhat consistent trend at the start of every new year with an increase in
the jobless rate as seasonal work wraps up and businesses prepare for the new year.”

Dalton said in addition to the new year employment trend, there is a struggle to balance affordability and
sustainability which is on the minds of every business owner and individual these days. It will be important
to focus on resiliency moving forward.

January saw 2,075 new job posts – a 32% increase over December – on Grand Erie Jobs, the online job board run by the Workforce Planning Board. Meanwhile, the number of job seekers clicking on job posts doubled.

The largest share of advertised jobs was in the health care and social assistance field, with 100 postings for nurses, 100 for home support workers, 60 for licensed practical nurses, and another 60 for social and community service workers.

However, retail salesperson remained the most advertised job, with 108, while secondary school teachers and food service supervisors also made the Top 5.

Visit Statistics Canada’s website to read their news release on the January 2024 employment numbers for Canada and Ontario.