Labour Market Monitor - Southern Nova Scotia
March 2011
This is an overview of the Southern Region which includes Digby, Yarmouth, Shelburne, Queens and Lunenburg Counties.
The Labour Market Monitor is a monthly report focusing on labour market information produced by a local Labour Market Information Analyst.
Labour Force Trends
Employment continued to grow in the Southern Nova Scotia region, rising by 1,400 on a year over year basis. The increase in employment was entirely in full time work, with part time employment actually deteriorating slightly over the period. With the labour force decreasing by 1,400 from March 2010 to March 2011, the number of unemployed fell by 2,700 and the unemployment rate fell by 4.4 percentage points to 12.7 percent this month compared to 17.1 percent for the same time period last year.
For more information, please visit the Statistics Canada website at: www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/lfss05b-eng.htm
| Southern | March | |
|---|---|---|
| Region: 240 | 2010 | 2011 |
| Labour Force (000) | 57.4 | 56.0 |
| Employed (000) | 47.5 | 48.9 |
| Full Time | 36.5 | 37.9 |
| Part Time | 11.1 | 11.0 |
| Unemployed (000) | 9.8 | 7.1 |
| Participation Rate (%) | 57.7 | 56.7 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 17.1 | 12.7 |
| Data is 3 month moving average from the Labour Force Survey, Statistics Canada | ||
Labour Market News by Industry
Construction
A section of the Crescent Beach wall, in Lockeport, is being repaired after being damaged by Hurricane Bill. The current project is funded by the town and provincial government at a cost of $120,000. Harlow Construction was the successful tender. Shelburne Coastguard - 22 March 2011
Manufacturing
The Lunenburg Queens Regional Development Agency reported that eight local manufacturers predict that they will need more than 200 skilled trades people due to forthcoming attrition, mostly retirement, and growth factors. In addition, the same eight processors indicate that they will need in excess of 500 workers over the next five years. Bridgewater Bulletin - 22 March 2011
Transportation
A study by the Independent Marine Ports Association of Canada determined that Digby's port annually adds $18 million to the local economy in wages and salaries for 265 jobs. The port includes fishermen's wharf, the marina and the ferry terminal. Digby Courier - 10 March 2011
Education
The South Shore Regional School Board announced cuts to 18 positions from its central office. The cuts mean a budget savings of $700,000 but another $2 million will have to be cut to balance their 2011-12 budget after provincial funding reductions. Bridgewater Bulletin - 1 March 2011
Health Care and Social Assistance
The provincial government released their budgets for the nine district health authorities in early March with one clear message, no funding increase for the coming year. Increased cost due to inflation and contractual obligations will have to be found from existing funds. Additionally, doctors in Nova Scotia voted to amend their contract with the provincial government, reducing their pay increase from four percent over the next two years, to one percent, saving the province an estimated $45 million over the next two years. Bridgewater Bulletin - 8 March 2011
Little People Place in Shelburne is expanding to allow space for up to six new toddlers and seven or eight new three-year-olds into their program. The centre is hoping for a start date in either April or May. Shelburne Coastguard - 15 March 2011
Information, Culture & Recreation
Cast and crew have assembled on the South Shore to gear up for the filming of the second season of "Haven," a popular television series that filmed there last summer. Season two will feature 13 episodes with most production in the Chester, Hubbards and Lunenburg areas. Filming started in April and will end in August with upwards of 100 people working at any given time. The production has a $24 million budget with $14 million being spent in Nova Scotia. Bridgewater Bulletin - 22 March 2011
Upper Clements Park is in the midst of a $1 million expansion that will see construction of a new aerial adventure park across the road from the existing theme park. The park will include zip lines, obstacle courses, mountain bike circuits and a paintball arena. The new attraction is expected to attract 35,000 more visitors and create 40 new seasonal jobs when completed. Phase one of the adventure park is expected to be completed this fall at a cost of $450,000. Digby Courier - 31 March 2011
Public Administration - Federal
Mid-March saw a large number of federal funding announcements throughout the area. Projects include $372,000 for the Employment Solution Society's Skills Link program, $6.1 million in funding for communities throughout the entire region to clean-up and repair projects to wharves and harbours, $119,614 for a micro-climate study to determine possible new agricultural developments, $74,570 for the Yarmouth Life Skills for Disabled Adults Association, $225,000 for the Yarmouth Lost to the Sea Memorial, $223,000 in funding to the New Horizons (seniors) organizations in Digby County, $17,777 to Digby's volunteer fire department and $25,000 for the Digby Clare Mental Health Association. Various Sources - 22 March 2011
Note: In preparing this bulletin, 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 the bulletin 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 bulletin does not necessarily reflect official policies of Service Canada.For more information please contact:
David Doucette
Labour Market Information Analyst
david.doucette@servicecanada.gc.ca
or visit our website at: www.labourmarketinformation.ca