OCTOBER UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DECREASES TO 4.3%
Walkerton, ON (November 7, 2025) – Employment in the Region increased by 6,400 (+3.9%) in October, with gains in full-time employment (+3.5%; +4,700) as well as in part-time employment (+6%; +1,700). In October, the unemployment rate in the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region decreased by 0.5 percentage points to 4.3%. The Region now sits at the lowest unemployment rate in the province. Meanwhile, the provincial unemployment rate decreased 0.4 percentage points this month at 7.9%, both unadjusted for seasonality. Employment in the Region increased in the goods-producing sector (+1%; +900) as well as the services-producing sector (+6%; +5,600).
In October, the Region’s overall population aged 15+ increased by +300 whereas the labour force size increased by 5,900 people, resulting in the number of people not in the labour force in the Region to decrease by 5,600. This increased the Region’s participation rate up by 2.0 percentage points to 60.6%.
The Goods-producing sector saw an increase in overall employment numbers in October (+900, +1%), with the biggest gains in Agriculture (+1,200, +15%), followed by Construction (+3,100, +14%) and Utilities (+500, +5%). On the other hand, Manufacturing experienced an employment decrease (-3,800, -15%).
Overall employment in the Services-producing sector saw an increase of +6% (+5,600 people) in October. Educational services experienced the largest percentage growth (+1,300, +22%) in employment followed by Business, building and other support services (+800, +21%), Healthcare and social assistance (+2,900, +14%) and Other services (except public administration) (+900, +12%). On the other hand, Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing experienced the largest percentage decrease in October (-400, -8%) followed by Professional, scientific and technical services (-800, -6%) and Accommodation and food services (-200, -3%).
“This month’s report is very positive with a huge gain in overall employment”, says Dana Soucie, Executive Director for the Four County Labour Market Planning Board. “The increase in participation rate was a welcome and positive sign for our Region”.
Current Job postings for the Bruce, Grey, Huron, Perth region have increased overtime since the pandemic and can be found at www.connect2JOBS.ca. The current number of job postings currently exceeds 2,600.
-30-
Note*: Statistics Canada’s monthly Labour Force Survey provides estimates of employment and unemployment, based on a sampling of households in communities. Stratford-Bruce Peninsula figures represent a three-month moving average, unadjusted for seasonality. Numbers may not sum to total due to rounding.
