SEPTEMBER UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DECREASES TO 4.2%
Walkerton, ON (October 6, 2023) – In September, the unemployment rate for the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region decreased by 0.3 percentage points to 4.2%. The provincial unemployment rate increased slightly by 0.1 percentage points to 6.4%, both unadjusted for seasonality.
The region’s labour force size decreased from 164,300 in August to 162,700 in September 2023. The size of population not participating in the labour force also increased by 2,000, bringing the participation rate down by 0.7 percentage points to 59.6%. While 600 full-time employment gains were reported last month, the increase was accompanied with 1,400 part-time employment losses, resulting in a net loss of 900 in the region’s overall employment size in September.
The number of Goods-producing sector employees increased by net 700 (1.1%) this month. With additional 500 employees, Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas experienced the biggest gain this month (+27.8%), followed by Utilities (+900, 13.2%) and Agriculture (+600, 5.2%). On the other hand, Construction experienced the biggest lost this month (-900, -4.2%), followed by Manufacturing (-400, -1.9%).
Employment in the Services-producing sector decreased by net 1,700 (-1.8%). With a loss of 800 employees, Information, culture and recreation experienced the biggest loss this month (-12.9%), followed by Health care and social assistance (-1,100, -7.4%) and Public Administration (-300, -7.1%). On the other hand, Business, building and other support services experienced the greatest gain this month (+900, +26.5%), followed by Transportation and Warehousing (+400, -18.2%) and Professional, scientific and technical services (+400, +4.6%).
Current job postings for the Bruce, Grey, Huron, Perth region have increased overtime since the pandemic and can be found at www.connect2JOBS.ca. This is updated regularly so visit often and create your account to track the job opportunities. Our current number of job postings reached almost 2,000 postings.
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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.
