The gradual economic rebound from COVID-19 hasn’t shown up in the job numbers for Brantford just yet.
An estimated 10,000 Brantford area residents were unemployed in June, according to a Statistics Canada survey conducted mid-month. There was a greater influx in job seekers than jobs, which pushed up the local jobless rate to 12.6%, from 11.3% in May. Norfolk’s jobless rate was 10.2%.
For Canada, employment grew in June by 953,000, dropping the month’s jobless rate to 12.3%, down from 13% in May. Meanwhile, employment grew by an estimated 377,000 in Ontario and the monthly unemployment rate fell to 12.2%.
Each metropolitan area near Brantford also saw their jobless rate climb last month: Hamilton, St. Catharines-Niagara, London, Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo.
“Since mid-June when Statistics Canada conducted its survey, we’ve seen more Brantford area businesses bring people back to work, including manufacturers, retail stores and restaurants that have opened patios,” said Danette Dalton, executive director of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie.
“The pace of recovery may appear slow, but it is underway. We’re optimistic that the job numbers will look better next month.”
The Workforce Planning Board launched a new local job board called Grand Erie Jobs in late June and there is currently about 1,000 active postings.
The Top-5 positions in demand from Grand Erie employers were retail salespersons, personal support workers, material handlers, transport truck drivers and delivery/courier drivers. About 90% of employer postings were for full-time positions.
Only 60% of users of the Grand Erie Jobs portal were looking for full-time work, with the other 40% searching for part-time or temporary positions. The Top-3 positions searched for matched the most frequently posted jobs: retail salespersons, PSWs and material handlers.
