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Brantford-Brant area jobless rate sees spike

Brantford-Brant area jobless rate sees spike

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

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

by | Jun 7, 2024 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

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.

Brantford area job market holds steady

Brantford area job market holds steady

by | 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

Brantford area job market stands out

by | 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.

January 2024 job numbers for area

January 2024 job numbers for area

by | 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.

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