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Local job numbers end 2024 on a strong note

Local job numbers end 2024 on a strong note

by | 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 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.

Job numbers stayed steady in September

Job numbers stayed steady in September

by | Oct 10, 2023 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

September 2023 employment numbers showed that the Brantford area job market held steady last month and even recovered some recent lost ground.

Brantford-Brant’s jobless rate last month was 4.7%, a small drop from August’s 4.8%, according to Statistics Canada’s seasonally adjusted numbers. Norfolk’s job numbers showed the jobless rate hovering around 4.5% over the last few months.

Canadian employment grew by 64,000 in September, though the national jobless rate remained unchanged at 5.5%. Ontario added some jobs but the unemployment rate still nudged up to 6%.

September 2023 employment statistics showed that Brantford area has the lowest unemployment rate compared to the nearby communities of Hamilton, St. Catharines-Niagara, London, Guelph and Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo.

After shrinking in recent months, the overall size of the labour pool increased in Brantford in September.

“Hopefully the number of people who are active in the labour force, working or looking for work, continues to improve, reversing the recent negative trend,” said Danette Dalton, the Workforce Planning Board’s executive director. “It’s good to remind people that there are many opportunities out there.”

A Fall Job Fair with about 35 businesses who are hiring is taking place Oct. 11 at Brantford’s Best Western Hotel and Conference Centre. The job fair is organized by three local employment centres and the Workforce Planning Board.

Job seekers who go to the job fair are being encouraged to dress to impress employers and to bring their resumes, as some employers will be doing on-the-spot interviews.

September saw more than 2,300 new job postings appear on Grand Erie Jobs, the community’s job board operated by the Workforce Planning Board.

The average wage listed in job posts was about $24 an hour in September, which was similar to recent months but $1.80 more than September 2022.

Visit Statistics Canada’s website to read their report on September 2023 employment-related figures for Canada and Ontario.

2023 EmployerOne survey wants you!

2023 EmployerOne survey wants you!

by | Jan 24, 2023 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

2023 EmployerOne survey dives into the workforce needs and challenges of area employers.

The EmployerOne – Spotlight on Quality of Work survey has been launched by the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie and is supported by Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

The survey, which runs until Jan. 31,  will also be promoted by many community organizations, including chambers of commerce and economic development departments.

Previous EmployerOne surveys have provided valuable insights into issues affecting employers in Brantford, Six Nations of the Grand River, Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, and Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk counties.

“With labour shortages and other workforce-related issues affecting many employers, we felt the time was right to bring back the EmployerOne survey,” said Danette Dalton, the board’s executive director.

“This year’s focus ties in with research we did in the last couple of months talking to employees and job seekers about what they value in a workplace. It’s now the turn of employers to give their perspective.”

Hundreds of area employers have completed EmployerOne in the past, but the survey wasn’t carried out over the pandemic, Dalton said. “A lot has changed for businesses, to say the least.”

Survey link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/E12023

Traditional EmployerOne questions touch on hiring plans, hard-to-fill jobs, strategies for staff attraction and retention, and other topics.

New quality of work-related questions look at what practices and policies businesses have in place that may make them attractive to new and existing workers, such as: health benefits, on-the-job training, the chance for promotions, flexible work conditions and working from home.

The 2023 EmployerOne survey also asks employers what barriers they face in bringing in or enhancing quality of work practices. “Some employers may have things in place that other businesses can learn from,” Dalton said.

Information and results from past EmployerOne surveys can be found by visiting this Page.

This Employment Ontario project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario

More residents active in area labour force

More residents active in area labour force

by | Jan 6, 2023 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

December 2022 employment numbers saw Brantford-Brant’s labour force swell in size, resulting in a higher jobless rate when not everyone was able to find jobs.

The Brantford area’s unemployment rate climbed to 5.8% last month, up from November’s 5.2%, based on estimates from Statistics Canada’s monthly labour force survey. Norfolk County’s unemployment rate stood at 7.5% in December, higher than recent months but below that of one year ago.

Across Canada, December 2022 employment grew by 104,000, dropping the national jobless rate to an even 5%. Ontario gained 43,000 jobs and the provincial monthly rate fell to 5.3%.

The Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie says concern over the Brantford area’s higher unemployment is eased by a growth in the employment and participation rates.

Labour force participation

“The percentage of people participating in the local labour force is at a 2 1/2 -year high, which is healthy to see,” said Executive Director Danette Dalton. “And the local employment rate remains strong, just off the 3-year high we saw a couple months ago.”

Brantford’s unemployment rate is similar to that of London and Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, but higher than Hamilton and St. Catharines-Niagara.

However, Brantford has the highest labour force participation rate of surrounding communities, at 69.5%. Next closest is the Kitchener area’s 69%. Canada and Ontario both have a participation rate of 64.9%.

The Workforce Planning Board is urging local employers to complete its EmployerOne survey this month to help the community gain a fuller picture of the local labour market.

Survey link: www.surveymonkey.com/r/E12023

Hiring often slows down during December, something that is reflected in the latest numbers from Grand Erie Jobs. There were about 2,150 new job postings last month, down more than 500 from November.

Visit Statistics Canada’s website to read its news release on December 2022 employment in Canada and Ontario.

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