Labour Market Monitor - Southern Nova Scotia
June 2010
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 providing information on labour market developments for specific regions within the province.
Labour Force Trends
Employment decreased by 600 in Southern Nova Scotia from June 2009 to June 2010, reflecting a large decrease in full-time work (2,800) being largely offset by an increase in part-time work. With employment decreasing at a faster rate than the labour force, both the level of unemployment and the unemployment rate rose comparing June 2010 with the same month last year. The unemployment rate increased on a year-over-year basis, rising from 11.3 percent to 12.1 percent this month.
For more information, please visit the Statistics Canada website at: www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/lfss05b-eng.htm
| Southern NS | June | |
|---|---|---|
| Region: 240 | 2009 | 2010 |
| Labour Force (000) | 64.4 | 64.3 |
| Employed (000) | 57.1 | 56.5 |
| Full Time | 46.7 | 43.9 |
| Part Time | 10.4 | 12.6 |
| Unemployed (000) | 7.3 | 7.8 |
| Participation Rate (%) | 62.3 | 62.4 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 11.3 | 12.1 |
| Data is 3 month moving average from the Labour Force Survey, Statistics Canada | ||
Labour Market News by Industry
Fishing
The local lobster season ended in May. It was marked with ups and downs for the industry with an overall consensus that price-issues would have to be solved before next season. Prices reached a low of $3.50 per pound and a high of only $4 per pound, a marked decrease from previous years. Catches varied across the region but were up overall by the end of the season. A spokesperson for the Lobster Advisory Board in Shelburne stated that some fishermen may lose their boats to the loan board this summer. Various Sources - 8 June 2010
Construction
Before construction of the new Best Western in Cookville is completed, an expansion has begun. An increase in local demand for meeting space prompted the hotel to double the size of their convention centre. The 63-room hotel is expected to open this July and will employ 17 people. Bridgewater Bulletin - 8 June 2010
The Region of Queens received confirmation that the federal government will fund one-third, or $6.5 million, of the Queens Place project. This will allow tenders to go out this summer with construction slated to begin in early fall. The $21 million facility could be potential ready by January 2012. Liverpool Advance - 15 June 2010
The Town of Bridgewater awarded ACL Construction, Dartmouth, a $1.6 million tender to upgrade water, storm and sanitary services. Bridgewater Bulletin - 29 June 2010
Saulnierville harbour will see $2 million worth of work this year, including construction of a breakwater and a safer access road. The work is part of $67 million being spent this year through the federal Small Craft Harbours Program. Digby Courier - 17 June 2010
Manufacturing:
A spokesperson for Cedar Bay Grilling Company expects a five-fold increase in sales this year because the company has distribution rights through to Vancouver and has shipped its first product to the U.S. Their frozen planked salmon was only available in Atlantic Canada last year, the company's first year in business, and they did over $1 million in sales. Bridgewater Bulletin - 1 June 2010
Trade
The non-renewal of the lease for Gateway Plaza's Rewards Department Store will mean the store will close at the end of July, placing more than a dozen people out of work. Gateway Realty, the firm that operates the west-side mini-mall stated that another retail store is poised to take over the space. Although not named, the new store is expected to open in November after construction renovations are completed. Bridgewater Bulletin - 8 June 2010
Movie Gallery announced that it will be closing 181 stores across Canada by the end of July, including the Yarmouth location. The Yarmouth store employs five people that work full-time and part-time. Yarmouth Vanguard - 22 June 2010
Transportation and Warehousing
Flying Phoenix Aviation Group, a Nova Scotia-based company, is in talks with several Chinese companies to establish a flight school, maintenance services and aviation maintenance classes at the Yarmouth Airport. If successful, the venture could start this fall and could create 70 jobs. Yarmouth Vanguard - 29 June 2010
Finance and Insurance
Well Fargo Financial announced the closure of more than 120 store locations in Canada, including Bridgewater, Shelburne, Yarmouth and Digby. Each location has 3-5 employees. The company pointed to insufficient financial returns for its decision. Various Sources - 22 June 2010
Real Estate
An Alberta developer turned 34 hectares of farmland next to Rissers Beach Provincial Park into a $2 million, 30-lot residential development. The subdivision, Atlantic Breezes, is located in the village of Petite Riviere, 20 minutes from Bridgewater. Bridgewater Bulletin - 8 June 2010
Business, Building and Other Support
The Florida-based company, Web.com, is taking over Register.com in a deal worth $135 million. The two companies have partnered on many projects and offer a similar type of consumer support, domain name services and related products. A spokesperson for Web.com stated that they are very impressed with the operation in Yarmouth. Yarmouth Vanguard - 22 June 2010
Health Care and Social Assistance:
Shannex announced the grand opened of Ryan Hall in Bridgewater in mid-June, along with eight other long-tern care facilities across the province. Ryan Hall, located off Hollingsworth Drive, is a 65-bed facility catering mostly to the senior population that requires nursing-home level of care. The facility employs about 80 people. Bridgewater Bulletin - 15 June 2010
Information, Culture and Recreation
The South Shore is being used as a stand-in for Maine for the production of the original television drama, Haven. Based on a Stephen King novella, 13 one-hour episodes are in production for season one which premiers in July. The producers acknowledged that Nova Scotia's film tax credit was advantageous to the $23 million production. Bridgewater Bulletin - 22 June 2010
Eastlink announced in June that 13 positions would be cut from their community television operations across Nova Scotia, including one in Blockhouse and one in Yarmouth. The company stated that they will continue to produce local programming. Various Sources - 29 June 2010
Public Administration
The federal government announced $346,000 in seed money for a youth shelter in Yarmouth. The money will allow for the purchase of a home on Trinity Place that will provide services to youth in need of support as well as six long-term beds for youth 14-21 who are without a safe place to stay. In addition the funds will allow for the hiring of a staff member for a year to work with the community to establish housing services for at-risk youth. Yarmouth Vanguard - 29 June 2010
The Municipality of Lunenburg is planning on spending $10.1 million this year on capital projects. They also noted that nearly 44 percent of capital projects are being funded by external grants. With grants, reserve funding and other revenue, the net cost to the taxpayers is expected to be about $973,000. Bridgewater Bulletin - 15 June 2010
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