Cape Breton Labour Market Monitor - April 2010
This is an overview of the Cape Breton Region which includes Cape Breton, Inverness, Richmond and Victoria Counties. The Labour Market Monitor is a monthly report providing information on labour market developments for specific regions within the province.
Labour Force Trends
The labour market in Cape Breton contracted slightly from April 2009 to April 2010. Employment declined by 700, reflecting an increase in full time work of 1,300 being more than offset by a decrease in part time work. With the decline in the labour force outweighing the decrease in employment, the number of unemployed fell by 200 on a year over year basis, and the unemployment rate decreased marginally from 17.3 percent in April 2009 to 17.2 percent in April 2010.
For more information, please visit the Statistics Canada website at: www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/lfss05b-eng.htm
| Cape Breton | April | |
|---|---|---|
| Region: 210 | 2009 | 2010 |
| Labour Force (000) | 61.8 | 61.0 |
| Employed (000) | 51.2 | 50.5 |
| Full Time | 39.5 | 40.8 |
| Part Time | 11.6 | 9.7 |
| Unemployed (000) | 10.7 | 10.5 |
| Participation Rate (%) | 53.6 | 53.3 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 17.3 | 17.2 |
| Data is 3 month moving average from the Labour Force Survey, Statistics Canada | ||
Labour Market News by Industry
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services:
Halifax Biomedical of Mabou expects to create up to 75 jobs over 5 years after receiving a five year payroll rebate from Nova Scotia Business Inc. to expand its business. The positions are expected to be created as the company expands its clinical research network. The support staff that will be added in Mabou include engineering technologists, people working in medical imaging and processing, engineers and clinical research management. The company presently employs 15, 13 of which are located in Mabou. Cape Breton Post, April 17, 2010
Utilities
Nova Scotia Power and New Page Port Hawkesbury Corp. announced agreements to develop a new 60 Mw biomass co-generation facility at Point Tupper. New Page will be responsible for the construction and operation of the facility, as well as for the fuel supply. The project proponents estimate that 50 person years of employment would be created during construction. In addition, an estimated 150 jobs would be created in Northern Nova Scotia, primarily in the forestry sector. The project will need approval from the Nova Scotia Utility Review Board before going forward. A similar project was rejected last year by the NSURW due to the effects on power rates. Inverness Oran, April 7, 2010
Business, Building & Other Support Services
Adita Birla Minacs announced that all 200 positions at the call centre in Port Hawkesbury have been reinstated after the company signed a new six month contract with a bank. The call centre had previously announced anticipated layoffs of staff for the end of April. Port Hawkesbury Reporter, April 14, 2010
Retail Trade
The Mayflower Mall in Sydney is planning a new 20,000 square-foot strip mall to be located at the corner of Grand Lake Road and Sydney Port Access Road. None of the prospective new tenants currently have a location in Sydney. The Mayflower Mall is nearing capacity with the recent addition and expansion of several clothing retailers and other shops. Cape Breton Post, April 9, 2010
Travel Universal Vacations, located in the Sydney Shopping Centre closed on April 23, 2010. Cape Breton Post, April 28, 2010
Educational Services
The provincial government announced a $2 million investment in new programs, which will include a new Behavioral Intervention program at the Nova Scotia Community College Strait Campus in Port Hawkesbury. The province also announced the addition of 250 additional seats at NSCC campuses across the province. Cape Breton Post, April 14, 2010
Accommodation and Food Services
Highland Heights Inn in Iona plans to open from June to October this season after falling into receivership last year. The Inn employs 14 people on a seasonal basis. Cape Breton Post, April 16,2010
Fishing
The Dept. of Fisheries has announced a 63 percent cut in the snow crab quota for area 12 in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which affects fisherman on the western side of Cape Breton. Cheticamp Fisheries expects only three weeks work in the spring processing crab this season for the plant's 120 seasonal workers. Cape Breton Post, April 17, 2010
Public Administration:
Wagmatcook First Nation negotiated a new agreement with the RCMP to police the community. The agreement calls for the area to be staffed by four officers, including three constables and one sergeant. Cape Breton Post, April 15, 2010
Note: In preparing this document, Service Canada has taken care to provide clients with labour market information from reliable sources that is timely and accurate at the time of publication. Since labour market conditions are dynamic, some of the information presented here may have changed since this document was published. Users are encouraged to also refer to other sources for additional information on the local economy and labour market. Information contained in this document does not necessarily reflect official policies of Service Canada.For more information contact: ns-info-ne@servicecanada.gc.ca or visit our website at www.labourmarketinformation.ca