News Release
May 2017 – Unemployment Rate Drops
Media Information:
Gemma Mendez-Smith
Walkerton, ON (May 5, 2017) – The unemployment rate for the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula economic region in April fell .7% from 6.8% to 6.1%. This drop returns the local unemployment rate below the provincial rate of 6.3%.
The Stratford-Bruce Peninsula region recorded a total employment loss of 4,400 between March and April 2017. Losses were concentrated in part-time employment (-4,700) with only a slight gain in fulltime employment (+300).
Employment fell in the region’s Service-producing sector last month with 4,500 losses. The main contributors were Wholesale and retail trade (-2,800), Educational Services and Accommodation and food services (-900 respectively), and Health care and social assistance (-300). Employment gains were in Business, building and other support services (+800), Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (+600) and Professional, scientific and technical services (+500).
While both Agriculture and Utilities remained steady in the Goods-producing sector last month, employment losses were seen in Construction (-900) and Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas (-600). Employment in Manufacturing improved with an increase of +500.
– 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.