pandemic Archives - Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie

Brantford area jobless rate close to 10%

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

Brantford jobs in October 2025 saw a decline as the job market recorded the highest unemployment rate in Ontario, just shy of 10% – the highest it’s been since the pandemic.

Last month’s Brantford-Brant jobless rate was 9.9 per cent, up 0.2 per cent from September, continuing an upwards trend, according Statistics Canada’s seasonally adjusted estimates, which are based on a three-month moving average.

By contrast, the unemployment rate dropped in Ontario and nationally. Canada saw employment growth of 67,000 and the jobless rate fell to 6.9 per cent. Most of the employment gains, 55,000 positions, were in Ontario, which recorded a 7.6 per cent unemployment rate. It was the first sizeable employment gains in the province since June.

Brantford-Brant for many months saw its employment and unemployment steadily increase in tandem. In the six-month period from March to September, the number of employed residents climbed 5,300, while those unemployed grew by 4,100.

Danette Dalton, executive director of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie, said that trend ended in October. Local employment fell and unemployment grew.

“It’s been alarming to see so many of our residents – our friends and neighbours – become unemployed,” Dalton said. “The silver lining, if we can call it that, has been that so many people have been able to find jobs up to now. Until now, there have been more gains than losses in Brantford jobs.”

Unemployed residents will need help

Dalton said those gains may have partially disguised how serious unemployment has become.

“Figures we’re seeing now, with an estimated 9,800 people unemployed and a jobless rate almost 10 per cent, flashes back to the summer of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic created lots of job losses,” she said.

“Like then, our community is going to need a lot of help, including mental health supports. As we approach the holiday season, the stresses on unemployed people and their families will likely increase. It’s a time to be generous in whatever way we can.”

The Workforce Planning Board’s job board, Grand Erie Jobs, saw about 1,650 new jobs in October, down 10% from the month prior.

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

Brantford area jobless rate at 5-year high

by WPBGE | Sep 5, 2025 | Press Release, Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

August employment numbers saw Brantford-Brant record its highest jobless rate in five years, as additional people sought work.

The local unemployment rate jumped 1.6 per cent in August to 9.4 per cent, the highest it has been since August 2020 during the pandemic when it hit 11 per cent, according to Statistics Canada’s seasonally adjusted figures.

Canada’s August unemployment rate climbed to 7.1 per cent due to a loss of 66,000 jobs, most of which were part time. Ontario lost an estimated 26,000 jobs, but August’s unemployment rate fell to 7.7 per cent as fewer people searched for work.

Contrary to Canada as a whole, Brantford-Brant did not lose jobs in August. And contrary to Ontario, more people were searching for work in the Brantford area last month.

About 2,000 additional people entered the local labour force in August, but there weren’t enough jobs for them. The number of unemployed residents jumped by an estimated 1,800 – the largest one month increase since the 2020 pandemic – while employment increased by 400.

“It’s a tough job market out there right now and there’s another 1,800 residents who need support from the community,” said Danette Dalton, the Workforce Planning Board’s executive director.

Dalton said that since January, the number of unemployed residents in Brantford-Brant has increased by about 4,800, while the number of employed also increased by 4,800.

“It’s a very unusual situation. But the main takeaway is that there’s a lot of people who need help finding work and possibly accessing training, retraining, or financial and other supports,” she said.

Dalton pointed to one sign that more people are looking for work and that there’s greater competition for jobs. The number of visits to the Workforce Planning Board’s online job board, Grand Erie Jobs, doubled last month to more than 9,000, yet the number of job ads was the same as July.

Dalton added that Southern Ontario communities such as Windsor and Oshawa that have automotive-related manufacturers, as does Brantford-Brant, have been impacted by U.S. tariffs and have also had big jumps in their jobless rates.

Visit Statistics Canada’s website to read their news release on the August 2025 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.

Quality of Work – New Local Survey

by WPBGE | Jul 14, 2022 | Press Release

The Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie has launched a new survey that is digging into how people perceive quality of work at their current or past workplaces.

Quality of work typically refers to a combination of things like a job’s income and benefits, job security, chance for promotion, opportunities to use skills, workplace culture and more.

For the last few years, our annual employer survey results have highlighted the growing obstacles that businesses face in finding and retaining suitable employees. Turnover triggered by quits, workplace culture and lack of work-life balance has been increasing and this has significant impacts on business operations.

With the added volatility of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to better understand the factors that influence quality of work, and to scope out the opportunities, challenges and barriers to supporting the Grand Erie labour market.

We will be examining the “quality of work” amongst workers within six industries in the Grand Erie area (healthcare and social assistance, retail trade, construction, manufacturing, accommodation and food services and agriculture.) The research will be carried out through a workforce survey that will measure the quality of work along 6 dimensions defined by Statistics Canada.

With this survey, we want to better understand what people value in a job, the workplace and their leaders. It is important to hear from workers, what attracts them to apply for a job and to stay in a job.

Many employers are experiencing labour shortages and they are competing for workers. Having a reputation of providing a good work culture and jobs can make a business stand out. The survey should help businesses, community organizations and local government learn more about what workers value in a workplace, and could prompt changes that strengthen quality of work.

Employers may learn what improvements or best practices they can implement in their workplace to give workers a stronger incentive to stay. And a good quality of work and work-life balance at a workplace can be a big selling point to potential new hires.

Individuals who complete the survey may find themselves better equipped to open up conversations with their managers about how their work quality can be enhanced. Results may also help those looking for work to identify industries that best support their quality of work goals.

Further, data collected through this survey can help community organizations/government develop better, more targeted programs and services to support our workforce’s needs.

The survey, which takes about 15 minutes to complete, is open to employees and job seekers 15 years and older who lives in Brantford, Six Nations, New Credit and Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk counties and will be running until September of this year. Those who complete the survey will have a chance to win a prize in a weekly draw.

The research project is funded by the Government of Canada’s Future Skills Centre, a forward-looking organization that prototypes, tests and measures new and innovative approaches to skills development across Canada. To learn more about Future Skills Centre, visit: fsc-ccf.ca

Thank you to our survey sponsors:

Summer student jobs and youth resources

by WPBGE | Jun 10, 2022 | Workforce Planning Board Of Grand Erie News

Companies around the Grand Erie region are currently hiring for summer student positions. These companies include Piller’s Fine Foods, Circle Square Ranch, Maple Leaf Foods, Linde Canada and Grand River Employment and Training.

Our Grand Erie Job Board allows youth to search for summer jobs in Brantford, Brant, Haldimand, Norfolk, Six Nations and New Credit. Currently dozens and dozens of summer student job openings are posted in the area.

Many non-profit community agencies such as Community Addictions and Mental Health Services of Haldimand and Norfolk, Habitat for Humanity, Norfolk Association for Community Living, Alzheimer Society and Lions McInnes House are currently advertising for summer students under a special government program called Canada Summer Jobs. All Canada Summer Jobs are searchable here: https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/youth

The COVID-19 Pandemic has added unique challenges for youth and their ability to find employment during the past few years. Help is available to youth who lack information about employment programs and job searching tools – and with their summer job hunt.

Educational institutions and area organization such as St. Leonard’s Community Services, Brantford-Brant Business Resource Centre (BRC), CareerLink and other regional employment service providers offer various programs and services across our region to not only help young people find a summer job; but for graduating students or for youth not in school – their first full time job and to also help those interested in learning how they can start their own business.

For example, aspiring entrepreneurs ages 15 to 29 years old can apply for the Summer Company Student Grant Program offered through Brantford-Brant Business Resource Centre to students living in the City of Brantford, County of Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk Counties, and Six Nations of the Grand River.

The program lets students take the plunge into business ownership and teaches them how to problem solve, communicate effectively, and the importance of a strong work ethic. Students will also learn all aspects of running a business including how to manage their business finances, marketing and sales, customer service, building and controlling inventory and the behind the scenes work that is required to operate a successful business.

Successful applicants receive up to $1,500 to assist with start-up costs and an additional $1,500 on completion of the program.

Other Local Youth Employment Resources:

Grand Erie District School Board: Home :: Grand Erie District School Board

CareerLink: About :: Career Link

St. Leonard’s Community Services Wrap Program: Youth Employment Skills Strategy – Work Readiness and Advancement Program (WRAP) | St. Leonard’s (st-leonards.com)

Brant Skills Centre: Brant Skills Centre

G.R.E.A.T: The Student Office – GREAT (greatsn.com)

Fanshawe Community Career and Employment Services: Community Career and Employment Services (Simcoe) | Fanshawe College

City School by Mohawk: City School by Mohawk | Mohawk College

Brantford Business Resource Centre: Business Resource Centre – City of Brantford – Economic Development (advantagebrantford.ca)

First Work: First Work – Ontario’s Youth Employment Network

First Work Aspire Initiative: Home – Youth Aspire