Labour Market Monitor - Northern Nova Scotia
February 2011
This is an overview of the Northern Region which includes Cumberland, Colchester, Pictou, Antigonish and Guysborough 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 continued to slowly deteriorate in Northern Nova Scotia in February. The labour force in the area decreased by 500 on a year over year basis and employment fell slightly (300) over the same period. The employment decrease reflected an increase in full time work of 1,000 which was more than offset by a decrease in part time work of 1,400. With the labour force falling faster than employment, the level of unemployment and the unemployment rate fell marginally in the area. The unemployment rate now stands at 12.5 percent, down from 12.6 percent in February 2010.
For more information, please visit the Statistics Canada website at: www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/lfss05b-eng.htm
| Northern NS | February | |
|---|---|---|
| Region: 220 | 2010 | 2011 |
| Labour Force (000) | 77.6 | 77.1 |
| Employed (000) | 67.8 | 67.5 |
| Full Time | 54.1 | 55.2 |
| Part Time | 13.7 | 12.3 |
| Unemployed (000) | 9.8 | 9.6 |
| Participation Rate (%) | 59.5 | 59.3 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 12.6 | 12.5 |
| Data is 3 month moving average from the Labour Force Survey, Statistics Canada | ||
Labour Market News by Industry
Accommodation and Food
Captain's Helm Pub & Eatery has opened at 56 Provost Street, New Glasgow. The downtown business offers food, drinks and live music. Staff, February 1, 2011
A local business owner has hired foreign workers for his Truro and New Glasgow restaurants. The McDonalds franchises have faced difficulty for some time now in hiring local labour; night shifts are especially challenging to cover and having a full staff complement during the day was a problem in the summer of 2010. Philippine workers arrived in December 2010 to supplement local workers. The McDonalds franchisee says it is a relief to have enough willing and flexible workers to give the level of service he wants to provide his customers, such as, 24 hour service. With the additional cost of work permits and travel the owner says there are no savings in bringing in foreign workers and he would employ locally if the workforce was available. Chronicle Herald, February 4, 2011
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation
The federal government recently announced it is investing over $98,000 into the Age of Sail Heritage Centre through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. The Municipality of Cumberland County also announced it is committing $24,000, the Greville Bay Shipbuilding Museum Society is matching that amount and the Cumberland Regional Economic Development Association is providing $7,480. The funds will go toward the multi-year expansion and renovation of the Age of Sail Heritage Centre. The initial phase will see the 150 year-old building receive of refurbished lower-level, providing space for exhibits, displays, storage of artifacts, genealogy research, workshops and community gatherings. The Citizen, February 5, 2011
Construction
A tender has been issued by the provincial government for construction of a prison in Pictou County. The New Northeast Nova Scotia Correction Facility will be a 100 cell prison to be built in Coalburn. The closing date for tenders is March 25, 2011. The News, February 24, 2011
Construction of the new Tatamagouche library is expected to begin in early April of 2011. Colchester County has released the tenders for the project, which is estimated to cost $832,000. Actual construction costs are set at $690,000 while $142,200 is taken up by the land purchase and expenses related to the survey, legal, design, heating and taxes. Truro Daily News, February 15, 2011
Education Services
Summer Street Industries received program funding of close to $500,000 from the federal Skills Link program. Twenty youth will participate in life and job skills training at the Pictou County centre for those with an intellectual disability. The News, February 26, 2011
The province has capped university tuition increases annually at 3 percent plus schools will see a 4 percent funding reduction for the 2011-12 academic year. From 2004 to 2010 funding for universities increased from $212 million to $349 million or 65 percent. A new funding agreement between Nova Scotia and its universities is being worked on for 2012-15. Antigonish Casket, February 9, 2011
Nova Scotia's eight school boards will face a two percent cut in their operating budgets for the 2011-12 school year. Student enrolment is expected to decline by two percent or 2500 students in the upcoming year. The boards are being told to reduce administration costs by fifteen percent, cut half of their 168 consultants over three years and a $7.1 million reading program will be changed to save costs. Funding for special needs students will not be reduced. The education department expects 350 to 400 teachers to retire or leave at the end of the 2010-11 year. The Teacher's Union says lay-offs will be needed to reduce teaching positions to that level. Chronicle Herald, February 9, 2011
Health Care
Two new buildings are currently under construction in Pictou and Trenton to replace Shiretown Nursing Home's older, larger facility. According to the Nova Scotia Nurses Union, the new buildings will still provide a total of 72 beds; however, the smaller sized units will require less nursing staff to run them. Currently, Shiretown employs 13 registered nurses and 14 licensed practical nurses. Potentially almost fifty-percent fewer nurses will be required in September 2011 when the new locations are set to open. The government funding structure will be reduced because of the smaller size of the buildings even though there will be the same number of clients requiring the same level of care. Pictou Advocate, February 2, 2011
Riverview Adult Residential Centre, Riverton, began the second phase of its upgrade after completing three new residences for 33 clients. The Pictou County residential centre provides long-term care and support to individuals who require supervision and assistance with daily activities, 24 hours a day. The centre employs 86 people. When completed, Riverview will have private rooms for 83 residents. The News, February 03, 2011
The Pictou County Health Authority is facing a $1.8 million deficit for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011. Cost saving measures includes leaving vacant positions unfilled, closing their Well Women Clinic, reducing the number of orthopedic surgeries and delaying some community initiatives. Further measures may be necessary as all Health Boards in Nova Scotia have been asked to participate in a planning exercise to reduce costs by 5% for the next three years. The News, February 09, 2011
Pictou County Health Authority (PCHA) has applied to Dalhousie's Family Medicine Residency Training Program. The two year program allows up to five doctors to move to a community to complete their family medicine residency. In an effort to train more family doctors, Dalhousie expanded it medical program by ten seats in 2008 resulting in a need for residency spots in the province. Three other health authorities have also applied, only one will be chosen. PCHA is expecting to hear within one month. The News, February 28, 2011
Manufacturing
Canso Seafoods Ltd has opened next to the Canso wharf in Guysborough County. They will process sea cucumbers until late May and then switch to whelk until late fall. Parent company, Louisburg Seafoods is hiring twenty to twenty-five workers now with hopes of expanding to 100 employees in the future. Products from the Canso plant will be sent to Asian markets. Federal and provincial governments contributed $800,000 in loans; the company contributed $675,000. Guysborough Journal, February 16, 2011
BDO, the receiver for Maritime Steel, has received two bids from buyers who want to continue operations at the recently closed Pictou County steel and foundry. 3-D Auto Parts Ltd. and Abbas Jafarnia, a former metallurgical engineer at the plant, were the bidders. Three non-operating bids were rejected. BDO is now working with the both parties to clear up conditions for a possible sale of the plant before a winning bidder is declared. About sixty workers lost their jobs at the New Glasgow manufacturer in December 2010. Chronicle Herald, February 22, 2011
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil & Gas Extraction
The EnCana Deep Panuke natural gas project, Guysborough County, is scheduled to produce gas by the fall of 2011. The production field centre being built in Abu Dhabi is 95% complete and is expected to begin its transatlantic journey in about six weeks. About $100 million will be spent in late summer 2011 to connect all the wells to the centre. Originally, gas was to flow last fall and the project was estimated at $760 million; it is now estimated to cost closer to $960 million. Repsol of Spain will buy up to 300 million cubic feet per day of gas over the estimated 15 year life of the project for its Saint John, New Brunswick liquefied natural gas terminal. Chronicle Herald, February 16, 2011
Public Administration
The Town of Westville now has its own public works department after their agreement with the Town of New Glasgow to provide these services ended. Westville is hiring a public works supervisor, four full-time workers and three part-time staff for the May to September period for park maintenance and other duties. The Town of New Glasgow had provided public works services to the neighbouring town since 1995. Westville says it will be able to provide its own services without a cost increase to residents. The News, February 03, 2011
The Town of Pictou has a new contract with its fifteen public works employees. The two-year deal runs from April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2012. It includes a 2.8 % wage increase, improved flexibility in work shifts and workplace training. The workers are represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). The News, February 08, 2011
The Strategic Co-operative Education Incentive program will be investing $1.8 million to double the number of co-op positions funded by the province to 450. The province provides 50 percent of the $15 per hour wage to participants. Private sector, government -funded and non-profit organizations are all eligible to apply. The program aims to assist in recruiting and retaining students for work placements. Improving productivity, career-related experience and future opportunities to retain students in full-time, long-term employment in Nova Scotia are the priorities. The deadline for summer work placement funding is February 28, 2011. Guysborough Journal, February 9, 2011
Nova Scotia had 2,123,100 visitors in 2010, a 30,000 rise from 2009. The majority of visitors, 88% were from within Canada which saw a 2% increase this year. Visits from the United States declined 2% to nine percent in total. The Tourism Department states that tourism employs more than 31,000 workers in the province and contributes $1.82 billion in revenue. Guysborough Journal, February 9, 2011
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
Housing starts increased in Truro and New Glasgow submarkets for 2010, according to the Canadian Housing and Mortgage Corporation. In their February release of housing statistics for January to December 2010, Truro had an increase of 31.7 % or 57 more homes than 2009; while New Glasgow's rose 51.2% from the previous year or 44 more homes started in 2010. Overall for the year, Nova Scotia experienced an increase of 26.9% (751 more dwellings started) compared to 2009. Various Sources February 7, 2011
A restaurant and a strip mall will begin construction in the spring 2011 at the Stellarton Albion Place Power Centre. A new Central Supplies store is nearing completion while Access Nova Scotia and Proudfoot's Home Hardware are confirmed land owners at the centre. Pictou Advocate, February 23, 2011
Utilities
Atlantis Resources Corporation, who specializes in tidal power generation, has joined the province's Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy project (FORCE). Atlantis wil join three existing berth-holders in the FORCE Project: Nova Scotia Power and Open Hydro of Ireland, Minas Basin Pulp and Power with Marine Current Turbines technology and Alstom Clean Current technology out of France. Atlantis will be teaming up locally with Lockheed Martin and Irving Shipbuilding to design, build and deploy the one megawatt turbine called the AK-1000 Mark II. The project will involve more then 50 percent local content. Lockheed Martin will be responsible for engineering design elements, production drawings and procurement of major turbine components along with sytems testing. Irving Shipbuilding will oversee construction of the turbine base and assembly of the device in conjunction with other local suppliers. Deployment of the Atlantis turbine into the Bay of Fundy is planned for the summer of 2012. Various Sources, February 19, 2011
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 please contact your local Labour Market Information Analyst
for Cumberland / Colchester: ken.mills@servicecanada.gc.ca
for Pictou, Antigonish, Guysborough : diane.tibbo@servicecanada.gc.ca
or visit our website at: www.labourmarketinformation.ca