Meet Lyro

A friendly chatbot can help people searching for jobs or looking for other resources through our website.

“Thousands of area residents already know our Job Board is the go-to source to see local jobs, but they may be unfamiliar with the many other useful resources they can access,” said Danette Dalton, the board’s executive director. “The chatbot (named Lyro) provides a quick, easy way to find information tailored to a person’s questions and needs.”

Dalton said the planning board has launched about 15 tools on its website over the last five years, including about a dozen that are part of its Grand Erie Jobs toolkit. The tools allow people to explore careers, identify in-demand jobs, find out about local wages, create basic resumes, learn about apprenticeships and the trades, and more. The Newcomers Gateway tool lists resources for newcomers. In addition, there are tools for employers, including a recently launched Business Resource Toolkit.

“The chat bot can help people maximize these resources,” Dalton said. “It also enhances our services to residents of Brantford, Brant, Haldimand, Norfolk, Six Nations and Mississaugas of the Credit.” The chat bot responds to questions typed by website visitors and provides instant written answers. It is not staffed by a live person. Its responses are drawn from information and answers prepared by the Workforce Planning Board and refined through testing with users to ensure clarity and usefulness. The chat bot does not learn or generate new information on its own; it delivers consistent, reliable answers based on approved content.

The Workforce Planning Board worked with a student in Wilfrid Laurier Brantford’s UX design program, Fahad Sheikh, to help design the chat bot. This Employment Ontario project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.

Brantford-Brant’s labour market participation has been on a decline over the last few months. In December 2025, Brantford-Brant’s jobless rate rose to 9.3%, up from November’s 9%, according to the latest seasonally adjusted estimates from Statistics Canada. Employment and participation declined more significantly, with around 1000 fewer individuals working or seeking employment.

Across Canada, the unemployment rate increased by 0.3 points to 6.8%, while the employment rate held steady. In Ontario, the unemployment rate rose more substantially, up 0.6 points to 7.9%. Norfolk County’s unemployment rate sat considerably lower in December – at 4.2% – but this community also experienced declines in labour force participation and employment over the last quarter.

Brantford-Brant began 2025 with the lowest unemployment rate across the province, but this figure climbed over the course of 2025 as more people looked for work. Based on annual labour force survey data released Friday, the area’s unemployment rate in 2025 was 8%, up from 5.4% the year prior. The largest employment drop was in construction, but many service-providing businesses – namely in finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing, and business, building and other support services – have seen consistent declines over the last few months. Employment in manufacturing, on the other hand, has been on the rise.

The planning board’s job board, Grand Erie Jobs, saw a 9% month-over-month decrease in new job postings and in companies hiring, with many employers filling their job vacancies more quickly than before.

Introducing the Employer Engagement Video Series

As employers navigate evolving labour market conditions, workforce and education partners across Grand Erie continue to play a critical role in supporting recruitment, training, and workforce development. Beginning next week, the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie will launch a weekly series of short video interviews on its social media channels, featuring representatives from local service providers and educational institutions. The series will run through the end of March. These videos are funded by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

The video series will highlight the range of resources available to local businesses, including hiring support, workforce training and upskilling programs, as well as incentives for employers. By showcasing these programs, the initiative aims to help employers connect with local talent and plan for workforce needs. The Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie extends sincere thanks to the frontline workers and service providers who continue to support the community during challenging times.

For more, visit Statistics Canada’s website to read their news release on the December 2025 employment numbers for Canada and Ontario.

Brantford jobs data for November 2025 showed that unemployment fell by almost one per cent, but the percentage of people working dropped by an identical amount.

Last month’s Brantford-Brant’s jobless rate was 9 per cent, down from October’s 9.9 per cent, while the employment rate declined to 61.9 per cent, as several thousand people left the labour force, according to the latest seasonally adjusted estimates from Statistics Canada.

“The decrease in the November 2025 unemployment rate may appear encouraging at first glance, but the reality is more complex,” said Workforce Planning Board Executive Director Danette Dalton.

“The rise in the number of residents stepping out of the labour force shows the difficult circumstances many people are facing.”

The number of Brantford area residents not in the labour force – neither working nor looking for work – jumped by an estimated 2,400 in November. The labour force shrunk even as population grew by 300.

Local agencies can help

“As economic challenges continue, we are fortunate to have many organizations, known as service providers, in Grand Erie (Brantford, Brant, Six Nations, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Haldimand and Norfolk) working to support job seekers with career coaching, skill building, resume writing, interview preparation, and more,” Dalton said.

“Online tools on the Workforce Planning Board website such Workforce Gateway and Newcomers Gateway help residents find and connect with employment service providers close to home.”

Canada added 54,000 jobs in November – the third straight month growth – dropping the national unemployment rate to 6.5 per cent. The majority of last month’s job growth came from youth, ages 15 to 24, in part-time work. Ontario’s jobless rate fell to 7.3 per cent as fewer people looked for work.

Dalton said the planning board’s website also houses Grand Erie Jobs, which includes the area’s most comprehensive job board, with more than 1,000 positions at any given time.

“It’s important that job seekers know that they aren’t alone, now or at any time,” she said.

“There’s a large network of community agencies, training providers and schools that offer so much more than job search help. They can help build someone’s confidence, enhance their skills, add to their education, access job training and open up new career pathways

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