Labour Market Bulletin - Cape Breton

March 2009*

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

Cape Breton employment declined in March for the seventh month in a row.   Most (81%) of the net job loss was in full-time positions.  The level of unemployment increased and the unemployment rate rose to a level not seen since March, 2004.

Employment is also substantially lower than it was in March of 2008 and most of the jobs lost over the last 12 months were full-time as well.  The labour force contracted over this period of time but by less than the employment decline so that unemployment increased as did the unemployment rate.

Industry Analysis

The March employment declines were shared almost equally between the Goods and Services sectors. The Construction industry group was responsible for most of the job losses in the Goods Sector since February.  Employment in the Goods Sector is also down from March a year ago.  Declines in Construction and Manufacturing employment have contributed to that outcome but the Primary industries and Utilities have also seen job losses over the last year.  At 6,800, the Goods Sector’s employment level in March 2009 is the lowest it has been in the last 20 years.  Employment in the sector has trended downward over this time frame while Service Sector employment has exhibited growth.

Education and Health Care were responsible for most of the employment decline in March in the Service Sector.  Other Services also saw some job loss from February’s employment level and there were small gains among the remaining Service Sector industry groups.  The sector has experienced substantial job loss during the past year, however.  Employment in Other Services has decreased the most since March of 2008 followed by Transportation & Warehousing and Trade.  Health Care & Social Assistance employment is much higher than it was a year ago despite the declines this month.

*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 might be an issue.

In the News

Centre 200 in Sydney will undergo a $1.5 million upgrade, with funding announced from the federal government, CBRM and private sector interests.  Proposed improvements to the building include adding 13 new skyboxes, club seating, new video score system, and an increase in seating capacity to 5,000.  Renovation work will be undertaken in the concession area and to washrooms.           Cape Breton Post, March 9, 2009

Budget cuts by national broadcaster CBC will result in staff reductions at CBC Cape Breton.  Between four and seven programming positions will be affected.  Across Canada, CBC is cutting 800 full-time positions as a result of the corporation's $171 budget deficit this fiscal year.    Cape Breton Post, March 27, 2009

MB 2 Excavating and Construction of Membertou, in partnership with Beaver Marine Ltd of Halifax, was awarded a $37.6 million contract to divert water from the Sydney Tar Ponds and coke ovens sites as part of the Sydney Tar Ponds remediation project.  The companies will begin building the system to redirect water in late spring, and finish in September 2012. The project is expected to create 29 new jobs and sustain 50 other jobs.  Cape Breton Post, March 9, 2009

McKesson Canada will operate a new Telehealth service in Nova Scotia to enable people to get health advice over the phone.  The company will hire 15 full-time and 12 part-time telehealth nurses, as well as other related and administrative positions.  The main telehealth centre will be located in Dartmouth, but positions will be distributed across the province under a work at home program.  The telehealth service is contracted by the Nova Scotia Dept. of Health to McKesson, and will be available in July 2009.  Cape Breton Post, March 25, 2009

The Strait Area Harbourfront Society of Port Hawkesbury announced plans for a new $1.6 million project that will replace the cancelled Ship Harbour Place project. The society plans to rebuild the marina and renovate the old Creamery building for use as a multipurpose entertainment venue.    Cape Breton Post, March 30, 2009

The Bargain Shop officially opened a new store on Reeves St. in Port Hawkesbury.            Port Hawkesbury Reporter, March 25, 2009

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