Labour Market Update - Cape Breton

October, 2009*

Overview 

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

Unemployment Rate Rises Due to Falling Employment

  • The unemployment rate rose for the second straight month after falling for the past three months, and is higher than it has been for the month of October for the past three years.
  • Part of the reason for the rising unemployment rate is the declining level of employment.  The lower employment level is the result of reductions in full-time employment more than offsetting increases in part-time employment.
  • With employment falling and unemployment remaining unchanged, the labour force fell.  Corresponding to this change, the unemployment rate increased.
  • Employment levels fell due to employment reductions in the Goods-Producing industries.  Manufacturing employment was stagnant and employment in Other Primary industries fell.  Construction employment increased slightly.
  • Service-Producing employment matched the record high for October recorded in October 2008.  Transportation & Warehousing and Health Care & Social Assistance employment were the positive forces on Service-Producing employment.

In the News – Cape Breton

The Cape Breton Victoria Regional School Board is reducing its teaching staff by 42 for the current school year.  The reduction is a result of declines in student enrollment.  The province mandates that school boards reduce their teaching complements when enrollment declines according to an established ratio.  The Board currently has 15,700 students and a teaching staff of approximately 1,260.  Cape Breton Post, October 5, 2009.

The Centre for Sustainability in Energy and Environment will be developed at Cape Breton University with the assistance of  $15 million in combined funding from the federal and provincial governments.  The centre will focus on mine water cleanup, how to extract cleaner energy from coal, green energy technology and environmental remediation.  It will also include an aboriginal science education program.   Construction is expected to begin soon, and the centre is expected to be completed by the spring of 2011.  Cape Breton Post, October 10, 2009

The Port Hood and Area Funeral Home will soon begin construction of a new funeral home to replace the existing facility.  John Beaton Contracting of Mabou was awarded the contract for construction, which is expected to be completed in 2010.  Cape Breton Post, October 9, 2009.

Bell Aliant announced that it is closing 11 contact centres in Atlantic Canada, including its centre in Sydney.  The closure of the Sydney centre will affect 38 employees, who have the option of relocating to the five centres that will continue operating elsewhere in Atlantic Canada.   The closures will begin in February 2010 and finish in April.  Cape Breton Post, October 16, 2009.

Cape Breton Development Corporation will have its assets and liabilities assumed by Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation (ECBC) by December 31, 2009.  The majority of the 15 staff members are expected to be transferred to ECBC. Cape Breton Post, October 18, 2009.

Stream Global Services of Glace Bay scheduled a career fair for October 21, 2009 to assist with hiring for 300 technical level 2 positions to answer inbound calls. Cape Breton Post, October 20,2009

For more information please contact . . .  

Barry Soper

Economist

99 Wyse Road, P.O. Box 1350

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 4B9

(902) 426-5590

E-Mail: barry.soper@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