Four new videos have been released that celebrate local manufacturers, their products and the occupations behind them.

The We Make It Here videos, one for each Grand Erie municipality, showcase local manufacturers who make a diverse range of goods, ranging from biodegradable drinking straws to military parts, chiropractic tables to bird food, irrigation equipment to communications antennas, and more.

The 12 companies featured in the videos are:

• Brantford: Patriot Forge, Stone Straw, Apotex Pharmachem
• Brant County: iSPAN Sytems, Wade Antenna, Apogee Ceramics
• Haldimand County: Armstrong Milling, Elite Manufacturing, Cargo Ease
• Norfolk County: On Time Precision Components, Lonestar Welding, Cadman Power

The We Make It Here videos were produced by the Workforce Planning Board in partnership with the companies, municipal economic development departments, the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board and the Grand Erie District School Board. The project was funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.

The videos build on manufacturing videos released in 2018 and 2017.

Brantford’s jobless rate has fallen by three percentage points in the last year, setting a new record low last month.

The city’s October unemployment rate was 3.2%, down from 3.6% in September and 6.2% a year ago in October 2018, based on seasonally adjusted estimates released Friday by Statistics Canada.

Brantford’s jobless rate sits well below that of surrounding large metropolitan areas, with Hamilton’s the next best at 4.8%. Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, St. Catharines-Niagara, and Guelph all have unemployment rates at or above the Ontario average of 5.4%, while London’s tops 6%.

While Brantford’s jobless rate has been falling over the last few months, other numbers have been moving in a negative direction. In particular, the number of people who are not in the labour force – those neither working nor looking for work – has been increasing. Since July, an estimated 4,000 more people have been classed as “not in labour force” by Statistics Canada.

Brantford set another record low jobless rate in September, even though less people were working than in August.

Brantford’s unemployment rate for September was estimated at 3.6%, down from 3.9% in August, according to seasonally adjusted Statistics Canada figures released Friday.

The city’s jobless rate is a new record low and is among the lowest in Canada.

Norfolk County has had an average unemployment rate of 5.7% over the last 3 months, using estimates that are not seasonally adjusted. This rate compares to the 8.9% jobless rate reported in September 2018.

October is being kicked off as Manufacturing Month, with plant tours on Oct. 3.

Grand Erie region’s Manufacturing Day will see some 250 Grade 10 students tour 18 area companies, with businesses in Brantford, Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk represented.

This is the fourth year for the tours, which were created as a way to inform students about career opportunities in our region’s No. 1 industry. About 16,000 Grand Erie residents work in manufacturing here and outside the region.

A list of companies hosting tours in 2019 is on the Manufacturing Month page.

Tradespersons working in Norfolk County have earned awards for their outstanding work in the trades.

The Skilled Tradespersons of the Year awards were handed out Sept. 25 at a trades appreciation event organized by the Workforce Planning Board, held at Venture Norfolk.

Construction: Philip Rundle, of Rundlebuilt, a respected contractor in business for 40 years.
Industrial: Todd Saunders, whose Simcoe business Rassaun Services Inc. employs dozens of tradespeople.
Service: Kaley Horton, owner of Kaley’s Restaurant and an expanding catering business.

Geoff McDonald of Stelco Inc. was Master of Ceremonies.