Labour Market Update - Cape Breton

January, 2010*

Overview 

(Source: http://www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/lfss05b-eng.htm)

Employment decreases for fifth straight month

•January employment is down from December’s level and 85 percent of the decline is in full-time positions.

•Unemployment rose because of the lagging employment but the extent of the increase was lessened by a labour force decline.

•A smaller labour force together with greater unemployment, however, resulted in a higher unemployment rate.

•While the unemployment rate is within a tenth of a point of last January’s rate, employment this January is down by 700 from that time and hasn’t been this low for the month of January since 2005.

•Despite lower employment, there are fewer unemployed this month than there were in January 2009.  This is because the working age population (aged 15+) has decreased since that time and contributed to a labour force decline.

•Both the Goods and Services producing sectors have experienced lower employment relative to last month and to last January.  Construction and Manufacturing have shared the losses in the Goods sector in both time frames. Within the Service sector, Business, Building & Other Support Services’ employment declined in both periods.

*This report is an analysis of three month moving average data from Statistics Canada’s monthly Labour Force Survey.  The
reader should be cautioned that because of relatively small sample sizes in subprovincial regions, data reliability may be an issue. 

In the News – Cape Breton

The Wagmatcook First Nation have ended their contract with RCMP and have accepted a proposal from the Cape Breton Regional Police Service to begin policing the reserve as of April 1, 2010.  Final approval must come from CBRM staff, the police union, mayor and council before the contract becomes official.  It is estimated that 5 officers would be assigned to Wagmatcook.  Cape Breton Post,  January 6, 2010
 
PetroWorth Resources Inc. expects to spend $2 million to drill and develop two onshore oil wells near Lake Ainslie this summer.  Oil produced at the wells would likely be trucked to an Irving refinery in New Brunswick.  Cape Breton Post, January 8, 2010
 
Construction is underway on an 11 turbine wind energy development in Point Tupper following the signing of a new contract between Nova Scotia Power Incorporated and Renewable  Energy Sources Limited. The project will see the installation of 11 Enercon E-82 wind turbines on the NuStar Energy property which will bring 22.5 megawatts of power onto the main NSPI grid.  Port Hawkesbury Reporter, January 20, 2010
 
Transcontinental Media is consolidating its page layout and ad building for its Maritime newspapers to its facility in Charlottetown.  Positions at the Cape Breton Post are expected to be affected, including pre-press, advertising, and positions responsible for editing, page layout and design.  Cape Breton Post, January 21, 2010
 
The Town of Port Hawkesbury approved the hiring of an additional RCMP officer.  The new member will bring the detachment to six officers, beginning April 1, 2010. 
Cape Breton Post, January 21, 2010
 
East Coast Credit Union has delayed a decision to close several credit unions, including branches in North East Margaree and North Isle Madame.   The 12 to 18 month delay will allow the credit union to assess and investigate options.  Cape Breton Post, January 27, 2010
 
The Dancing Goat Café and Bakery in Margaree Valley is expanding, as construction is underway on a new building to replace the existing premises.  The new building is adjacent to its existing operation, and will double the seating capacity when it is projected to open in April 2010.  Inverness Oran, January 27, 2010
 
According to the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, low natural gas prices and low demand, expensive costs, and the development of shale natural reserves elsewhere will hamper the Nova Scotia offshore industry. Spending on the East Coast offshore will increase to $2.5 billion in 2010 from $1.5 billion in 2009, but most of it will be spent in Newfoundland and Labrador. Most of the Nova Scotia spending will be on the Deep Panuke gas project coming into service, while the Sable project is in decline with reserves expected to run out in a few years. (Chronicle-Herald, Jan.29, 1010)
 

For more information please contact . . .  

Gary Hartlin

Economist

99 Wyse Road, P.O. Box 1350

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 4B9

(902) 426-5561

E-Mail: gary.hartlin@servicecanada.gc.ca

Web Site: www.labourmarketinformation.ca

 

Labour Market Information Unit

Cape Breton Network

15 Dorchester Street

Sydney, Nova Scotia

(902) 564-7238

E-mail: ns-info-ne@servicecanada.gc.ca

Web site: www.labourmarketinformation.ca