Labour Market Monitor - Northern Nova Scotia
September 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 by 1,300 in Northern Nova Scotia on a year-over-year basis, with the increase split fairly evenly between full and part time jobs. The labour force increased marginally (200) on a year over year basis. With employment increasing and the labour force remaining fairly stable, the level of unemployment fell by 1,100 in the region. The unemployment rate declined by 1.4 percentage points from 10.8 percent in September 2009 to 9.4 percent in September 2010.
For more information, please visit the Statistics Canada website at: www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/lfss05b-eng.htm
| North Shore | September | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Region: 1220 | 2009 | 2010 | Change |
| Labour Force (000) | 81.6 | 81.4 | 0.2 |
| Employed (000) | 73.9 | 72.6 | 1.3 |
| Full Time | 62.3 | 61.7 | 0.6 |
| Part Time | 11.5 | 11.0 | 0.5 |
| Unemployed (000) | 7.7 | 8.8 | -1.1 |
| Participation Rate (%) | 62.1 | 61.9 | 0.2 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 9.4 | 10.85 | -1.4 |
| Data is 3 month moving average from the Labour Force Survey, Statistics Canada | |||
Labour Market News by Industry
Agriculture, Fishing and Farming
Canaqua Seafoods Ltd., an Atlantic halibut fish farm in west Advocate will receive $1.2 million in federal funding. The funds will allow them to double their production rate of Atlantic halibut while cutting production costs, improving environmental sustainability of the operation and increasing jobs. The business hopes to double their job production within the next five years. The facility currently employs some 4 to 10 people depending on the peak production season. Amherst Daily News, September 16, 2010
Construction
Concreate USL Limited, based in Bolton, Ontario, will set up a regional office and construction facility in the Truro Industrial Park this November. The company is expected to employ between 30 and 50 people over the next five years, most of them skilled workers in the steel fabrication and concrete fabrication industries. Concreate USL Limited is primarily associated with large highway and related bridge projects. It is already in the process of making improvements the Trans-Canada Highway between Antigonish and the Canso Causeway. Truro Daily News, September 13, 2010
Construction of the new $50 million Truro Civic Centre has begun and is expected to take approximately two years to complete. The Civic centre will to be located off Exit 13 and will include a 2,700-seat event stadium, NHL-sized ice surface, walking/jogging track, aquatic centre, fitness centre, multi-purpose/professional space, community meeting space, climbing wall and Colchester East Hants Health Authority (CEHHA) administrative space. To date, funding from municipal, provincial and federal governments has totalled $44 million. Truro Daily News, September 15, 2010
The Town of Amherst have officially broken the ground on an $11million wastewater treatment facility. The project will be funded by a 3-way partnership with all levels of government involved. The facility will be built on the saltwater side of the aboiteau on the marsh and should be operational by the fall of 2011. Amherst Daily News, September 27, 2010
Balodis has begun work on the Town of Trenton's $1.2 million improvement project. Main Street will see the construction of two plazas, improved sidewalks, lighting and landscaping. This is phase one of a three part plan. The News, September 18, 2010
Education Services
The Federal government will provide $6.5M to support growth of organic farming. Industry is also contributing $2.2 million towards the project. Canadian scientists will collaborate over the next 2 1/2 years to develop more efficient and profitable processes for organic farmers via the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada and the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in Bible Hill. The organic science cluster has identified 10 sub projects to undertake. They include 30 research activities by 50 researchers & 30 collaborators at 45 institutions in nine provinces across Canada. Research will focus on soil fertility, greenhouse production, dairy production systems, parasite control and food processing. About 20 per cent of the funds would be utilized by the Bible Hill centre. Truro Daily News, September 3, 2010
Performance Genomics Inc., of Bible Hill, has received $95,000 to support its field-testing of a proprietary DNA-based test to predict the reproductive potential of Holstein dairy cattle. The money is from the Canada Agricultural Adaption Program through Agri-Futures Nova Scotia. Performance Genomics Inc is a spinoff of Nova Scotia Agricultural College. Truro Daily News September 30, 2010
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate & Leasing
Workers at the Bergengren Credit Union, represented by the Canadian Auto Workers Union, voted 93% in favour of a strike. The 51 employees work at three branches in Antigonish, New Glasgow and St. Andrews. Negotiations have been ongoing for months; at issue are wages, pensions, benefits and contract language. The Casket, September 22, 2010
DeCoste Electrical Ventilation, Antigonish is currently renovating the former Acadian Lines bus terminal. The James Street building will be available for lease to interested tenants. DeCoste have moved their operations to Highway 4, Brierly Brook. (902) 863-5853 Pictou Advocate, September 08, 2010
Crombie REIT has purchased properties in western Canada from affiliated Sobeys Inc. It is part of Crombie's growth strategy to move into the western regions of Canada. Chronicle Herald, September 30, 2010
Health Care & Social Services
The Pictou County Health Authority officially opens its Community Health Centre October 1, 2010 at 688/690 East River Road, New Glasgow. Two buildings now house a collaborative practice, diabetes centre, a pain clinic, Addiction Services, Mental Health, Public Health and Primary Health offices. Most of these services relocated from the Aberdeen Professional Centre at 825 East River Road. Pictou Advocate, September 29, 2010
Four hundred unionized workers at 3 Pictou County long-term care homes - Glen Haven Manor, Valley View Villa and Maritime Oddfellows Home - voted 96% in favour of a strike. Their union, Canadian Union of Public Employees, says maintaining wage parity with acute care workers is the main issue in negotiations with employers. Bargaining is done on a provincial basis for 36 facilities across Nova Scotia. The News, September 23, 2010
Information & Culture
According to the Digital Animators of Nova Scotia, animation jobs in N.S. have gone from 800 to 75 due to changes in the way the film tax credit system is calculated. Film Nova Scotia supports the association's idea of eliminating a production cap and moving to a labour-based credit system to rejuvenate the animation sector. The N.S. government challenges the association's claim the calculation system had changed. Chronicle Herald, September 17, 2010
Manufacturing
C-Vision and LED Roadway Lighting signed a $1.6-million contract with the Halifax Regional Municipality to provide 2,137 LED street lights. They also signed a letter of intent to provide LED lighting for the Confederation Bridge. The Town of Amherst also awarded them with a $1.095-million contract to provide lighting to convert their remaining high pressure sodium streetlights to LED lights. These opportunities have allowed the Amherst company to begin hiring an additional 19 people, bringing its workforce to over 80 employees. The company also has 35 working at its Halifax operation. Amherst Daily News, September 29, 2010
Aecon Fabco, Pictou has opened its marine railway where they can now repair and service different sizes of ships. They will focus on small to mid-sized vessels including offshore, commercial, Coast Guard and Navy ships. Aecon currently employs about 82 workers. They will be hosting a job fair in the near future for pipefitters, steelworkers and others. The News, September 17, 2010
MacGregor's Custom Machining is now manufacturing outdoor exercise equipment for GreenGym based in Dartmouth. GreenGym changed their manufacturing from China to the Nova Scotia company after comparing cost and quality. The cost is only slightly higher while delivery times and the quality of products are much easier to control, according to GreenGym. MacGregor's has added some new jobs to do welding and other fabrication for the equipment. GreenGym has sales across North America, with municipalities being their largest client for the relatively low cost outdoor equipment. www.greengym.ca www.macgregors.ca Chronicle Herald, September 22, 2010
IMP Aerospace Components Ltd., of Amherst, is among the suppliers benefiting from a pair of new aircraft programs with aerospace giant Bombardier. These are new projects that may take years to get to full production so there won't be an immediate influx of jobs. It will, however, be good news for the 310 existing workers at the IMP facility. Details, including the value of the contract, were not released. Amherst Daily News, September 24, 2010
Public Administration
Minimum wage in Nova Scotia will increase from $9.20 to $9.65 per hour on October 1, 2010. The minimum wage for inexperienced workers will rise from $8.70 to $9.15 per hour. Employees can be paid this rate only if they have worked for the employer for less than 3 months and have less than three months total experience with that kind of work. www.gov.ns.ca/lwd/employmentrights Various Sources, September 30, 2010
A project to revitalize and beautify Truro's downtown core received $800,000 from the federal government. The money was made available through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency's Innovative Communities Fund. About $450,000 is earmarked to business owners in the downtown through the Downtown Façade Incentive Program. This involves an application process which will pay up to 50 cents for every dollar they commit to invest in façade improvements. The remainder of the funding, about $350,000 will be used to enhance existing green spaces or create new ones. Six areas will be targeted for improvements including: Civic Square, Victoria Square, and Prince Street where the Berlin Wall pieces are currently placed, near the entrance of Victoria Park, the proposed new farmer's market and Riverside Avenue. This phase of the enhancement project should be complete within the next two years. Truro Daily News, September 10, 2010
A new water reservoir is up and running in the Town of Stewiacke, offering nearly five times the capacity of the former system. The $1.6-million project began in 2009 and was completed earlier this year. The process started in 2001 with $1.3 million worth of work and was completed in 2002. Phase two started in 2003 and finished the following year at a cost of $1.2 million. Altogether, that is a $4.2-million investment in the town, which has an annual budget of about $2.5 million. Truro Daily News, September30, 2010
Eco-friendly initiatives are planned for the Debert Industrial Park. ACOA has committed $54,400 in funding and the government is also committing $92,000 to the project with $82,000 earmarked for archeological lands assessment and about $10,000 to produce a road map for the park. Truro Daily News September10, 2010
The Town of Canso has made official application to the Utility and Review board to dissolve its town status. The process in expected to take about two months. Guysborough Journal, September 29, 2010
Pictou Regional Development Commission has officially changed its name to the Pictou Regional Development Agency. The economic development organization is making a legislative transition to fall under the provincial Regional Development Authority. Services will remain the same: Investment Attraction, Business Retention & Expansion, Labour Force Recruitment & Retention, Economic Infrastructure and Strategic Planning. The News, September 30, 2010
Trade, Wholesale & Retail
The Pork Shop opened a new location at 2578 Westville Road, New Glasgow. They offer European style meats, breads and other items, Monday to Sunday, (902) 755-3260. The News, September 11, 2010
Central Home Improvement is building a new, larger store in Stellarton's, Albion Place. The home building supply store will relocate from their current East River Road, New Glasgow location. Sixty-five full-time and 19 part-time employees will move to the new location and additional hiring of about 15 workers is expected. Construction will begin soon with a completion date of early 2011. The News, September 30, 2010
Steamboats gas station and convenience store of Amherst will be closing at the end of September because of an inability to compete with gas retailers in neighbouring New Brunswick. The closure of Steamboats will impact 6 full and part-time employees. Amherst Daily News, September 9, 2010
Utilities
The Colchester-Cumberland WindField has a wind project planned for Spiddle Hill near West Earltown. This summer road improvements were made to provide access to the isolated Spiddle Hill site chosen for the project. The construction site has been prepared and the foundation is expected to be ready this fall. Land has been cleared to erect power lines to feed the grid once the electricity begins to flow, and the lines should be installed in November. Turbine parts will be arriving by June of 2011and the turbine should be up and running in July, 2011. The turbine will feed electricity into the Tatamagouche grid owned by Nova Scotia Power Inc. and will provide about half the power required by customers in the area. http://www.ccwf.ca Truro Daily News, September 17, 2010
Atlantis Resources Corp. is prepared to install an 18-metre rotor diameter turbine that can power up to 1,000 homes at a site in the Bay of Fundy near Parrsboro, N.S., next year. A $10-million turbine deployed in November 2009 by Nova Scotia Power in the Minas Passage was damaged and will be hauled out of the water this fall, a year ahead of schedule. The utility and its partner, OpenHydro, said it will retrieve the turbine to find out what went wrong. Two other companies, Minas Basin Pulp and Power and B.C.-based Clean Current, have also been chosen to test turbines in the Bay of Fundy but have delayed their projects until 2012. CBC News, September 8, 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 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