Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News Archives - Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie

Brantford area job stats little changed

by WPBGE | Mar 7, 2025 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

February 2025 employment numbers for Brantford-Brant saw little change, but the unemployment rate still climbed slightly.

The local jobless rate was estimated to be 5.3% in February, up from January’s 5%, according to seasonally adjusted figures based on a Statistics Canada survey of households, which was conducted Feb. 9 to 15.

Nation-wide job numbers were virtually unchanged last month and Canada’s unemployment rate remained at 6.6%. Meanwhile, Ontario’s unemployment rate dropped to 7.3%, due mainly to fewer people looking for work.

February 2025 figures show that the Brantford area continues to have the lowest unemployment rate among nearby communities such as Hamilton, Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, St. Catharines-Niagara and London. However, Brantford’s employment rate – the proportion of the population aged 15+ who are working – is middle of the pack.

“The fact that employment was little changed locally, regionally and across Canada can be read as a sign that many employers pressed pause last month in the face of U.S. tariffs,” said Danette Dalton, the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie’s executive director. “Businesses are in a wait-and-see mode, neither adding nor reducing staffing.”

Impact of U.S. tariffs

U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on Canadian goods would start February 4, but on February 3 paused them, saying they would start March 4. Since then, the U.S. has announced that Canadian steel and aluminum will face tariffs starting next week, while tariffs on some other goods would be paused until April.

“There’s a lot of confusion and uncertainty right now, especially with U.S. announcements changing almost daily, so it is understandable if businesses have put things on hold,” Dalton said.

Dalton said the planning board will monitor impacts on the area’s labour market and will work with governments, business groups and community services to support businesses and workers.

Even with all the uncertainty, local employers have still been posting job openings, though it isn’t clear if people have been hired to fill those openings, she said.

The planning board’s Grand Erie Jobs platform saw 1,600 new job postings in February, and the number of businesses with postings reached 1,000. Grand Erie Jobs displays postings from major online job boards.

Visit Statistics Canada’s website to read their news release on the February 2025 employment numbers for Canada and Ontario.

New2Norfolk website will help newcomers

by WPBGE | Feb 12, 2025 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

Norfolk County has launched a new website called New2Norfolk to welcome newcomers and to ease their transition to living and working in the community.

New2Norfolk.ca is a one-stop, online information guide for newcomers that lists more than 100 resources, including those based in Norfolk, the Grand Erie area, and ones that serve Ontario and Canada.

The website is designed to help all types of newcomers: those coming from other countries, refugees, seasonal agricultural workers, foreign workers, international students, and individuals relocating to Norfolk from neighbouring communities or other parts of Canada.

“Norfolk County has warmly welcomed newcomers from around the world for generations, and the New2Norfolk website will help us to continue that proud tradition,” said Norfolk Deputy Mayor Doug Brunton. “We know that, just as in the past, newcomers can enrich life in our vibrant community in many, many ways.”

Economic development strategy

New2Norfolk was launched by Norfolk County Economic Development in partnership with Workforce Synergy, part of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie.

“Newcomers play a crucial role in starting businesses, filling in-demand jobs and contributing to our community’s economic development,” said John Regan, Director, Economic Development.

“New2Norfolk is one of the priority actions from the Council-approved Economic Development Strategy and is an important tool to help us attract and retain newcomers, whether those newcomers are moving here from overseas or from across the province “

In the past decade, hundreds of newcomers and refugees have settled in Norfolk, including Ukrainian, Syrian, and Afghan families sponsored by local households, groups, and churches. Norfolk is also home to thousands of Low German Mennonites. County farms employ about 6,000 seasonal agricultural workers, and international students attend Fanshawe College.

Guidance on everyday tasks

The site provides information on services that newcomer groups can access to help them settle in the County, find employment, start businesses, stay healthy, learn English, and navigate daily life in Norfolk. Visitors will find links to a wide range of topics, from local employment services to housing, transit, libraries, banking, shopping, ESL classes, recreation, obtaining a health card and driver’s licence, acquiring Canadian citizenship, and much more.

“New2Norfolk is designed to cover a lot of information and can be easily updated to meet evolving needs,” said Danette Dalton of the Workforce Planning Board.

“It provides clear guidance on everyday tasks, such as obtaining a driver’s licence or setting up a bank account, which can be challenging for newcomers. Fortunately, Norfolk has a lot of very helpful community services and volunteers that can connect newcomers to the services they need.”

Visit New2Norfolk.ca to explore the resources available.

Jobless rate officially lowest in Ontario

by WPBGE | Feb 11, 2025 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

January 2025 employment figures showed that Brantford recorded the lowest jobless rate in Ontario, though employment actually fell locally last month.

The Brantford-Brant unemployment rate dropped to 5% in January, down from December’s 5.1%, even though an estimated 500 fewer people were employed, according to Statistics Canada’s seasonally adjusted figures, based on a survey of some local households.

Canada added 76,000 jobs in January, the third straight month of employment gains, and the unemployment rate dipped to 6.6%. Over the last three months Canada has added 211,000 jobs. Employment rose in Ontario by 39,000 positions, but the jobless rate climbed 0.1% to 7.6%.

The Brantford area edged out Thunder Bay, at 5.1%, for lowest unemployment rate in Ontario. Brantford beat neighbouring communities by a wider margin, with St. Catharines-Niagara being the closest at 6.1%.

Despite the strong numbers, the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie is taking a cautious tone.

“We’ve heard a less positive story from the Employment Ontario organizations that provide help to jobseekers,” said Danette Dalton, the planning board’s executive director. “They report that many local employers aren’t hiring and that jobseekers are frustrated and discouraged.”

Dalton said the number of residents not in the labour force – neither employed nor unemployed – jumped last September and has remained stubbornly high since then.

“The number of youths 15 to 24 not in the labour force has increased the most, indicating that they have been hit the hardest by the slowdown in hiring,” she said.

Dalton said it is unclear what the threat of American tariffs on Canadian goods has or will have on local hiring, but that the planning board is investigating ways it can support businesses if they are impacted.

The planning board’s Grand Erie Jobs platform saw a sizeable jump in new online job postings in January, with 1,600, up from about 1,000 in December. However, the total number of active jobs postings, which includes some carried over from the month before, was down.

Visit Statistics Canada’s website to read their news release on the January 2025 employment numbers for Canada and Ontario.

Local job numbers end 2024 on a strong note

by WPBGE | Jan 14, 2025 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

December 2024 employment numbers ended the year on a strong note.

Employment in the Brantford area was up by an estimated 1,000 people in December, pushing the jobless rate down to under 5%.

Brantford-Brant’s unemployment rate dropped by almost a full percentage point last month to 4.8%, down from November’s 5.7%, according to Statistics Canada figures, which are based on a three-month moving average and adjusted for the season.

Norfolk’s unemployment rate was 3.8% in December, the lowest on a monthly basis in 2024. Since December 2023, the employment rate for Norfolk is up by 2.7% and there have been gains in both full-time and part-time work.

Employment in Canada last month grew by 91,000 and the jobless rate dipped to 6.7%. Men aged 55+ accounted for 41,000 of that employment growth, while 21,000 more women 55+ were also working. Ontario saw employment increase by 23,000 and the unemployment rate nudged down to 7.5%.

“Seeing increased employment in Brantford-Brant and Norfolk, as well as nationally, is certainly good news,” said Danette Dalton, of the Workforce Planning Board. “The hope is that the gains can be sustained and aren’t just short term.”

Traditionally, there’s additional hiring by retail businesses in November and December for the holiday season. However, there have also been employment gains in manufacturing, a major industry in this area.

Dalton cautioned that while the local jobless rate has dropped for three straight months, the number of people employed in the Brantford area is still down from the Spring and Summer of 2024.

“We’ve heard for several months that, in general, local businesses have slowed hiring, and employment counsellors trying to help people find work have confirmed that,” she said. “There’s also been fewer job posting on our Grand Erie Jobs job board.”

Just over 1,000 new postings appeared on Grand Erie Jobs in December, a 27% decrease from November, which had also seen a sizeable drop. The number of companies with postings in December fell 15%.

The top postings were for jobs in health care and the service industry, including stores and restaurants.

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

Brantford area jobless rate at a 6-month low

by WPBGE | Dec 6, 2024 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

November 2024 employment strengthened in the Brantford area, with improvements in numbers across the board., including a 6-month low jobless rate.

Brantford-Brant’s jobless rate was 5.7% last month, down from October’s 6.5%, according to the latest Statistics Canada’s estimates, which are based on a three-month moving average that is seasonally adjusted.

Canada as a whole added 51,000 jobs but the unemployment rate still climbed 0.3% to 6.8% as more people looked for work. Ontario’s jobless rate jumped by almost a full percentage point to 7.6% – the highest it has been since 2014, excluding the 2020 and 2021 pandemic-impacted years.

After several consecutive weak months, the Brantford area saw all key employment indicators improve. Based on its survey of local households, Statistics Canada estimated that 1,100 more people were employed, while the number unemployed dropped by 600. November’s unemployment rate is the lowest it has been since June.

Pleasant surprise

“November’s job numbers are a pleasant surprise. They show that people returning to the job market found work,” said Danette Dalton, the Workforce Planning Board’s executive director.

“But we still have to remember that there are many people in our communities that are struggling and will need help through the holiday season and afterwards. Poverty doesn’t take a holiday, so it is important to support our neighbours and charities that support our neighbours.”

Brantford-Brant’s November unemployment rate was the lowest among nearby communities. Hamilton and Guelph had sizeable increases in their jobless rates, while Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, St. Catharines-Niagara and London were basically unchanged.

Despite November’s positive job numbers for the Brantford area, there continues to be signs that hiring is slowing down, Dalton said.

The number of new positions appearing on the Grand Erie Jobs online job board dropped last month by almost 20%. Grand Erie Jobs also saw a 20% decrease in the number of businesses with posted jobs.

“Similar job boards in other communities are also seeing fewer postings,” Dalton said. “It may be because hiring usually slows down over the winter, but we’ll see. It would be good to start 2025 on a positive note.”

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 November 2024 employment numbers for Canada and Ontario.

Local unemployment rate now at 6.5%

by WPBGE | Nov 12, 2024 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

The Brantford area’s job market strengthened in November, with improvements in numbers across the board.