Labour Market Monitor - Halifax
November 2010
This is an overview of the Halifax Region which includes all of Halifax County. It consists of dense urban areas, as well as less populated communities. The Halifax County line starts along the coast just west of Hubbards and runs along the coast including Dartmouth, Lawrencetown, Tangier, Sheet Harbour, and Moser River. Communities along the top of the border include Enfield, Milford, Upper Musqoudoboit, and Dean.
The Labour Market Monitor is a monthly report focusing on Labour Market Information.
Labour Force Trends
Employment in Halifax declined slightly in November 2010 compared with the same month last year. However, this rise reflects a large decrease in full time work (4,300), which more than offset an increase of 3,700 full time jobs. The labour force in the region decreased at the same rate as employment, and the level of unemployment did not change on a year over year basis. The unemployment rate remained constant at 6.4 percent from November 2009 to November 2010.
For more information, please visit the Statistics Canada website at: www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/lfss05b-eng.htm
| Halifax | November | |
|---|---|---|
| Region: 250 | 2009 | 2010 |
| Labour Force (000) | 229.1 | 228.5 |
| Employed (000) | 214.4 | 213.8 |
| Full Time | 176.4 | 172.1 |
| Part Time | 38.1 | 41.8 |
| Unemployed (000) | 14.6 | 14.6 |
| Participation Rate (%) | 71.0 | 70.0 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 6.4 | 6.4 |
| Data is 3 month moving average from the Labour Force Survey, Statistics Canada | ||
Labour Market News by Industry
Construction
Clayton Developments Ltd. plans to begin construction in the spring of 2011 on the final phase of its Russell Lake West development n Dartmouth. The development is being remodelled and will increase from 186 to 322 dwelling units (subject to a public hearing), as land originally allocated for a school has become available. It will include two 80-uinit apartment buildings. (Chronicle-Herald, Nov.17)
Manufacturing
Rosborough Boats has signed two contracts to build eight fibreglass boats for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans by March, 2011 at the company's facilities at Tangier on the Eastern Shore and Beechville. The company, which has about 30 workers on staff, is also currently building four pleasure boats for customers in the United States. The owner of Rosborough Boats feels the boat building industry is turning around and soon hopes to have 40 workers on staff as the company did before the recession. (Chronicle-Herald, Nov.15)
There will be a layoff of up to 22 full-time and 17 temporary workers at the Labatt owned Oland's Brewery on Agricola Street in Halifax by February or March, 2011. Talks are continuing between the company and Local 361 of the Brewery and Soft Drink Workers Union in an attempt to reduce the loss of full-time jobs to about 10, and some of the workers may be eligible for retirement incentives. The layoffs are a result of a decision to move production of the Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale to Labatt Brewery plants in other provinces rather than export the product. There will continue to be about 100 unionized workers at the Agricola Street plant which will brew Keith's for the Maritimes, as well as other brands. (Chronicle-Herald, Nov.24)
Vilco Ltd., a company in Waverley that makes fibreglass oil storage tanks for homes, would like to expand its 40 person workforce and possibly add a night shift to its current day and evening shifts. The company is interested in workers with fibreglass-moulding experience and experienced labourers who want to learn the business. Demand for the product, which withstands corrosion, has been brisk due to stricter provincial requirements in recent years. The company bought the former ZCL Composites operation at 1334 Cobequid Road in June, 2010. (Chronicle-Herald, Nov.27)
Information and Culture
Local bi-weekly gossip sheet Frank magazine plans to hire three more reporters immediately and another two in about six months according to its new owner. (Chronicle-Herald, Nov.6)
Post-production business Power Post Ltd. of Halifax has shut down. The company indicated a movement to in-house audio and video work by many local filmmakers and television production companies and a scenario where many co-productions are filmed in Nova Scotia but post-production work is done elsewhere are to blame for the demise of the operation. Animation work, a staple for Power Post, has also become more difficult to find in the region. The company once employed about 25 full-time and contract workers but had been reduced to eight staff in recent weeks. (Chronicle-Herald, Nov.18)
Bell Aliant will lay off 100 managers by the end of November, 2010 in the six provinces where it operates, including Nova Scotia. The decision is based on the need to reduce costs and increase efficiencies, but few jobs will be lost in Nova Scotia as the cuts are proportionate to the size of operations in each area. Managers affected are being offered severance packages, and some are retiring. (Chronicle-Herald, Nov. 24)
DHX Media Ltd. of Halifax, producer and distributor of mainly children's television programming and interactive content, has announced that it has signed multiple broadcast and home entertainment deals with customers in Asia. (Chronicle-Herald, Nov.25)
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation
The BMO Centre, located on Gary Martin Drive in Bedford, opened in November, 2010. The rink complex has four NHL-sized ice surfaces. (Chronicle-Herald, Nov.29)
Economic Conditions
The Atlantic Provinces Economic Council says Nova Scotia is expected to see 1.6 percent economic growth in 2011, due to a strong demand for retail goods and housing. The organization feels the outlook for non-energy exports and manufacturing is improving, but the energy sector will continue to lag due to low natural gas prices. (Chronicle-Herald, Nov. 2)
Note: In preparing this Labour Market Monitor, 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. Readers 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 please contact your local Labour Market Information Analysts for Halifax:
neill.evans@servicecanada.gc.ca
or
glenn.yetman@servicecanada.gc.ca
or visit our website at: www.labourmarketinformation.ca