Local unemployment rate now at 6.5%

Local unemployment rate now at 6.5%

October 2024 employment figures were virtually unchanged from the month before, but Brantford-Brant’s jobless rate still dropped.

After sitting at 7% for two months, Brantford-Brant’s unemployment rate fell in October to 6.5%, an estimate from Statistics Canada that is seasonally adjusted and based on a survey of area households.

Canada’s national unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.5%, with only 15,000 new jobs added, while Ontario’s jobless rate stood at 6.8%. Communities surrounding Brantford-Brant also saw no change or only minor changes to their unemployment rates.

Locally, Statistics Canada estimated there were 400 fewer people unemployed, with 100 more people becoming employed and 300 no longer in the labour force.

“Last month’s numbers confirm what we’ve been seeing for months, with the area’s labour pool shrinking, with more discouraged people sitting things out,” said Danette Dalton, executive director of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie.

“This is most noticeable in the increased number of men not in the labour force.”

Dalton added that the seasonal nature of some jobs may be a factor in October 2024 employment figures, with students returning to school and some construction jobs ending. But there were job losses in other sectors, too.

“Some men may have found jobs outside the area, but only London saw its labour force and employment grow last month without also experiencing job losses.”

On a more positive note, Dalton said women have seen fewer job losses and part-time employment has grown, with hiring for the Christmas shopping season a likely factor.

The Grand Erie Jobs online job board recorded almost 1,750 postings in October, identical to September. However, the number of companies with postings dropped 8%.

Job boards operated by other workforce planning boards have seen the same thing. There was a 10% drop in the number of companies posting in the Hamilton and London areas.

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

Jobless rate remains unchanged at 7%

Jobless rate remains unchanged at 7%

Brantford-Brant’s jobless rate stood unchanged at 7% last month, according to Statistic Canada’s seasonally adjusted estimates, which are based on a monthly survey of area households.

 Across Canada, the unemployment rate dropped 0.1 percentage point to 6.5%, while in Ontario, it dropped 0.2 percentage points to 6.9%.

 Some surrounding communities saw unemployment rise, while others saw it drop. St. Catherines-Niagara tied with Brantford for the second highest rate, below Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (7.6%). 

 Locally, job losses were mostly experienced by core-aged men (i.e. 25 – 54 years old), working in manufacturing, construction and wholesale trade sectors. Participation and employment amongst females did not change significantly, but many of these individuals switched from full-time to part-time work.

 “Our workforce is discouraged.” said Danette Dalton, executive director of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie. “Hiring has slowed, and some jobseekers are leaving the workforce because they are unable to find suitable work.” 

“We are seeing many community agencies step up to support jobseekers through organizing networking events and offering skills training; SOAR Community Services and NPAAMB are hosting job fairs this week. We encourage jobseekers to connect with these and other employment service providers to find out more about opportunities to develop their skills and connect with employers.”  

The workforce planning board also supports the labour force by helping build training programs that are relevant to local employers. Business owners/HR representatives are invited to identify local skills gaps affecting their workforce by completing the region’s EmployerOne survey: www.workforceplanningboard.org/employerone-survey 

The Grand Erie Jobs online job board featured 1,750 new job postings in September, a slight decrease from the month prior. Postings remained up for a shorter period on average, but most jobs continue to take weeks to fill.

Jobless rate remains unchanged at 7%

Brantford area jobless rate spikes again

August 2024 employment fell in Brantford-Brant while the jobless rate spiked to its highest level since late 2021.

The local jobless rate jumped a full percentage point to 7% last month, according to Statistic Canada’s seasonally adjusted estimates, which are based on a monthly survey of area households.

Brantford’s unemployment rate is now similar to Ontario’s average, which was 7.1% in August, and above Canada’s 6.6% figure. The local rate is similar to that seen in Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (7.1%), lower than St. Catharines-Niagara (7.5%), but higher than Hamilton (6.7%).

It is the first time Brantford-Brant’s jobless rate has touched 7% since November 2021, when it was 7.5%, and there were still some public health restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The size of August’s rate jump is surprising, disappointing and, most of all, sadly it means more people are struggling in our community,” said Danette Dalton, executive director of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie. “Unfortunately, the recent trend we’ve seen of fewer people working and fewer employers hiring is continuing.”

Statistics Canada estimated that 2,200 fewer people were employed in the Brantford area last month, but only 700 of those became unemployed. The other 1,500 people are just not in the labour market anymore.

The most noticeable change has been a large drop in the number of men, ages 24 to 54 – the age range that is considered the key workforce – working full time.

The Grand Erie Jobs online job board, operated by the planning board, shows that local job openings are still being advertised, with August’s number of 2,000 new postings being similar to July. However, it’s not known how many of those positions were filled.

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

Local unemployment rate hit 6% in July

Local unemployment rate hit 6% in July

July 2024 employment figures confirmed the recent upwards trend in the jobless rate for the Brantford area.

However, the area’s rate remains below that of nearby communities, as well as the provincial and national averages.

The Brantford area unemployment rate climbed 0.3 percentage points in July – to 6% – according to Statistics Canada’s latest  seasonally adjusted figures.

The national jobless rate remained unchanged at 6.4% in July, while Ontario’s shrunk to 6.7%.

In labour markets around Brantford, only Guelph saw a lower unemployment rate last month: 3.9%.

Locally, job losses were concentrated in the manufacturing and educational services sectors, both of which have decreased consistently over the last 6 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.

“Employers across Grand Erie have slowed down on hiring, especially for part-time roles,” said Danette Dalton, the Workforce Planning Board’s executive director.

“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 4000 fewer youth, and another 4000 fewer people aged 55+, in employment.”

“We need to find ways to engage individuals that are unable to find suitable work, and this involves meeting them where they are at with their skill development needs.”

Through surveying both businesses and workers, the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie aims to identify opportunities to bridge workforce gaps. Local residents are encouraged to complete the Workforce Skills and Training Survey, and employers are encouraged to complete the EmployerOne survey.

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 8% month over month.

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

Brantford-Brant area jobless rate sees spike

Brantford-Brant area jobless rate sees spike

June 2024 employment figures for Brantford-Brant showed the largest month-over-month increase in over a year, but other data suggests the swing isn’t as dramatic as it first appears.

The Brantford area unemployment rate climbed by 0.8 percentage points in June to 5.7%, according to Statistics Canada estimates, which are seasonally adjusted and a three-month moving average.

Other Statistics Canada data that isn’t seasonally adjusted or averaged out over several months shows that the jobless rate has been gradually increasing and didn’t just have a sudden one-month jump.

Norfolk County’s unadjusted unemployment rate for June was 5.5%, down a full percentage point from May. However, for the three-month period April to June, the average tops 6%.

The unemployment rates for Ontario and Canada both climbed last month, the provincial rate hitting 7% and the national one reaching 6.4%, continuing a gradual upwards trend.

Trend in other parts of Canada

Both rates have climbed by at least one full percentage points since June 2023, the Canadian economy unable to create enough new jobs to accommodate an influx of people into the labour market.

“What we’re seeing in our local area with more people looking for and unable to find work, leading to a gradual increase in unemployment, is happening all around us and across the country,” said Danette Dalton, the Workforce Planning Board’s executive director.

“We know from talking with employers, community partners and local government that many businesses have tightened up hiring. And when they do have a position, they often get hundreds of applications.”

Dalton said the planning board is currently surveying employers and workers separately to better understand their challenges, including if there’s a skills mismatch contributing to employment barriers.

“Having local businesses complete our EmployerOne survey and having workers and job seekers do our new Workforce Skills and Training survey helps us get a fuller picture of the local job market,” she said.

On planning board’s Grand Erie Jobs online job website, 5% fewer employers were looking to hire in June. But the number of new jobs that appeared remained at about 2,200, led by nurses and retail salespersons.

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

May employment reaches 1-year high

May employment reaches 1-year high

May 2024 employment in Brantford-Brant reached a one-year high, while the jobless rate continued to hover around 5%.

May’s local unemployment rate was 4.9%, the same as from January to March, and just below April’s 5%, according to seasonally adjusted numbers released by Statistics Canada.

At the same time, the local employment rate – the percentage of the population 15 years and older who are working – reached 64.8%, the highest since May 2023.

May 2024 employment numbers showed Ontario gained 50,000 jobs – the most in Canada – and the provincial jobless rate dipped to 6.7%. Employment grew by a net 27,000 gain across Canada last month, as employment fell in some provinces. The national jobless rate inched up to 6.2%.

The overall size of Brantford-Brant’s labour force has grown by 1,900 since May 2023, with 1,100 of those people finding work, while the other 800 have not.

“Those numbers are a reminder that even with Brantford having one of the lowest unemployment rates in Ontario, there are local residents who need supports and help finding jobs,” said Danette Dalton, of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie.

“There are a lot of great local organizations working to help people find jobs and to boost their skills.”

Dalton said residents can turn to different types of supports, including: government-funded employment centres, literacy and basic skills services, organizations that help residents with special needs or newcomers, and free job training programs such as the planning board’s new Skills2Advance Try a Trade.

“These organizations also work with local employers to help them find the workers they need,” she said. “Neither job seekers nor businesses should shy away from reaching out to ask for help.”

There were more than 2,150 new jobs posts – a 13% increase – in May on Grand Erie Jobs, the online job website operated by the planning board. There was also a 19% increase in active jobs posts, with 4,250, while 11% more companies advertised jobs compared to April.

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

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