Labour Market Monitor - Northern Nova Scotia
June 2010
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
Employment increased noticeably (2,000) in Northern Nova Scotia on a year-over-year basis. Part-time employment accounted for the majority of the job gains (1,300). The labour force decreased by 1,100 over this period. With employment increasing and the labour force decreasing, the level of unemployment declined significantly (3,100) in the region which resulted in the unemployment rate declining by 3.7 percentage points from June 2009 and now stands at 8.4 percent.
For more information, please visit the Statistics Canada website at: www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/lfss05b-eng.htm
| Northern Nova Scotia | June | |
|---|---|---|
| Region: 220 | 2009 | 2010 |
| Labour Force (000) | 80.0 | 78.9 |
| Employed (000) | 70.3 | 72.3 |
| Full Time | 58.1 | 58.8 |
| Part Time | 12.2 | 13.5 |
| Unemployed (000) | 9.7 | 6.6 |
| Participation Rate (%) | 60.9 | 60.0 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 12.1 | 8.4 |
| Data is 3 month moving average from the Labour Force Survey, Statistics Canada | ||
Labour Market News by Industry
Fishing
Northumberland Strait fishermen experienced a mixed 2010 season. Catches from Cape John to Pugwash were down for the third straight year, according to local workers. On the eastern Strait, fishermen experienced catches similar to 2009 and some indicate they increased their haul for this year. Prices ranged from $3.75 to $4.50 per pound during the May/June season. The News June 30, 2010
Utilities
The Glen Dhu wind farm will now be operated by a limited partnership between Shear Wind Inc. and Genera Avante. The Glen Dhu Wind Energy Partnership will take over the long-term contract with Nova Scotia Power to supply energy along with operating and maintenance agreement with ENERCON Canada. Pictou Advocate June 23, 2010
Construction
Pomerleau Inc. Construction will be constructing two long-term care facilities in Pictou and Trenton for MacLeod Group Health Services. The completion date is the fall of 2011. The new buildings will replace the existing Shiretown Nursing home in Pictou. The News June 18, 2010
S.W. Weeks Construction was awarded a $4.5 million tender from the Municipality of Pictou County. The contract involves new sewer lines and a pumping station in the Coalburn area. Pictou Advocate June 23, 2010
Manufacturing
IMP Aerospace has begun installation work as part of a multi-million-dollar contract extending the life of 10 Canadian CP-140 Aurora Aircraft. The lucrative program will employ a team of approximately 100 personnel distributed between IMP Aerospace (Halifax Stanfield International Airport), IMP Aerospace Avionics (Hammonds Plains), and IMP Aerospace Components (Amherst). IMP Aerospace, based in Halifax, employs 1,800 people and is a wholly-owned division of IMP Group International Inc. The Daily Business Buzz June 22, 2010
Solartron Energy Systems Inc. is receiving just over $50,000 through the province's ecoNova Scotia Fund for Clean Air and Climate Change to help with its manufacturing of SolarBeam Concentrators. The system transfers solar energy to heat a water supply that can be used for either heating or cooling. The Municipality of Cumberland is getting $9,754 to install one of Solartron's concentrators at the E.D. Fullerton Municipal Building in Upper Nappan. Two similar units are used by Sobeys at their Big 8 bottling facility in Stellarton while the company uses collectors at its own facility in Warren, just outside Amherst. Amherst Daily News June 14, 2010
Business Services
Convergys advised some 200 employees at its Truro contact centre that it will discontinue operations from the centre in September 2010 following the removal of a client program (Sprint) from the site. Convergys anticipates that some employees who meet the performance and home environment requirements will be able to transition to a work-at-home position. Employees in good standing also may pursue job openings at other Convergys locations. Employees who do not transition to another position will receive professional support through Convergys' employee assistance program. In its peak it had employed more than 500 workers. Convergys Corp. opened the Millbrook centre in 2004 with the help of a payroll rebate from Nova Scotia Business Inc. Under the terms of the six-year deal, the company could receive a maximum yearly rebate of $6.5 million conditional on the size of its workforce. Since this announced business closure, the Nova Scotia government advised that a review and analysis will be undertaken to determine whether using payroll rebates as a means to attract companies provides value for taxpayers. Various Sources June 11, 2010
Education
The Chignecto-Central School Board will receive a $4 million increase for the 2010-11 budget year. The operating budget will be $197.8 million and includes a reduction of 18 full-time positions. The News June 12, 2010
The Strait Regional School Board is expecting 244 fewer students in the 2010-11 school year and is planning a decrease of 14 staff. While some teachers may be displaced from their current positions, no layoffs are expected. With pending retirements the Board expects to be hiring staff, although fewer than they have in previous years. Antigonish Casket June 15, 2010
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation
Over $100,000 in funding from the provincial recreation facility development program is coming to Colchester County to assist three recreational projects. $52,000 is going towards upgrades at the Truro Curling Club. It will include a new ice plant, lighting and upgrades to the roof/ceiling, men's washrooms and sound system. The Town of Truro is receiving $31,000 to assist in its renovations of the former Douglas Street elementary school. The renovations will transform the school into a community recreation facility that will become home to the town's Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture administrative staff when it is expected to be complete in the fall. The Tatamagouche Area Trails Association is also receiving $29,000 to repair French River bridge. Truro Daily News June 29, 2010
Accommodation and Food
Museum workers at Sherbrooke Village have voted to strike. Seventy-three members of the Nova Scotia Government Employees Union (NSGEU) are trying to negotiate their first contract with their employer Sherbrooke Restoration Commission. The News June 11, 2010
Prissy Pig Cafe & Deli will open soon in downtown Antigonish. They are currently advertising for Cooks, Cashiers and Counter Servers for their 20 St. Andrews Street location. Antigonish Casket June 16, 2010
Other Services
Truro's Immanuel Baptist Church will soon begin construction of its $1.6-million building expansion. The expansion includes two large meeting centres, one for elementary aged children and another for junior and senior high school aged youth; several new classrooms, updated media equipment, showers and washroom areas. There will also be a larger space for infants and toddlers and the current foyer will be enlarged. The expected completion date is in the spring of 2011. Truro Daily News, June 30, 2010
Public Administration
The Pictou County Wellness Centre project has issued a tender for site clearing. The facility will be a shared by all municipalities in the county. Funding of $22 million is coming from the federal and provincial governments, $9 million from the towns and county plus additional funds from the volunteer group, Healthier Pictou County. The completion date for the multi-purpose wellness centre and sports complex is April 2012. Pictou Advocate June 09, 2010
Renovations are underway at the Pictou Justice Centre in preparation for the merger of Pictou County's court services. The $2 million project will add three new courtrooms (family, provincial and supreme), a judge's office, conference rooms and front counter space. PCL Contractors, Dartmouth began work in April; completion is set for early 2011. The News June 08, 2010
In 2010, the Town of Truro will repair about 15 different streets in the town. The town's public works department will include curb, gutter and sidewalk work as well as paving projects, totalling $1.7 million. The town is also doing curb work on each crosswalk on Prince Street from Commercial to Pleasant streets. This is the third year for the town's asset management plan where the department annually grades the streets around town to determine which projects need to be done. During the first couple of years arterial and collector roads made up most of the work and now the town is starting to get to some of the local streets. Truro Daily News June 16, 2010
The province has announced $700,000 in funding for the Town of Amherst's 1.4 million dollar plan to convert its 1,200 streetlights to more energy efficient LED lighting. Many of the light fixtures will be made at LED Roadway Lighting's sister company C-Vision in the industrial park. The province's funding will come from the ecoNova Scotia Fund for Clean Air and Climate Change. Other alternative energy projects were announced in Cumberland County including $144,900 for Amherst's new treatment facility that will allow for the construction of a 50-kilowatt wind turbine as well as $28,500 to convert the Amherst Fire Department's heat source from electric to a natural-gas boiler. Amherst Daily News June 14, 2010
The Town of Truro is investing $85,000 in renovations funding into the former Douglas Street Elementary School. When complete, the school will be used as a community recreation facility and be home to the Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture's five administrative staff. The work includes renovations to the building to convert some of it into office space, new flooring where required and renovations to make the washrooms accessible. The work is being done by Flagship Construction and is expected to be complete by the fall. Truro Daily News June 17, 2010
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