APRIL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DECREASES TO 5.2%
Walkerton, ON (May 8, 2026) – In April, the unemployment rate in the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 5.2% yet holds steady as the lowest unemployment rate in the province for the past four consecutive months. Meanwhile, the provincial unemployment rate remained unchanged this month at 7.5%, both unadjusted for seasonality. Employment in the Region decreased by 2,400 (-1.4%) in April, with losses in full-time employment (-0.7%; -900) as well as losses in part-time employment (-4.2%; -1,600).
In April, the Region’s overall population aged 15+ increased by 400 whereas the labour force size decreased by 2,700 people. The number of people not in the labour force in the Region increased by 3,100. This reduced the Region’s participation rate by 1.0 percentage points to 60.1%. Employment in the Region decreased in both the goods-producing sector (-0.5%; -300) and the services-producing sector (-2.1%; -2,300).
The Goods-producing sector saw a decrease in overall employment numbers in April (-0.5%; -300). Losses were experienced once again in Agriculture (-9.0%, -700) and Construction (-3.9%, -800), whereas gains were seen in Manufacturing (+4.6%, +800) and Utilities (+2.3%, +300).
Overall employment in the Services-producing sector saw a decrease of -2.1% (-2,300 people) in April. Public administration experienced the largest percentage decrease in employment (-18.6%, -800), followed by Health care and social assistance (-11.8%, -2,900) and Other services (except public administration) (-11.3%, -900). On the other hand, Transportation and warehousing experienced the largest percentage increase in employment (+13.0%, +600), followed by Information, culture and recreation (+9.3%, +500) and Wholesale and retail trade (+8.3%, +2,300).
“We continue to monitor the local workforce as participation rates in the region continue to decline”, says Dana Soucie, Chief Executive Officer for the Four County Labour Market Planning Board. “Collaborations and innovative programs remain critical as we move forward to address our unique rural workforce needs”.
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 1,500.
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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.
