Annapolis Valley NS Labour Market Monitor - April 2010
This is an overview of the Annapolis Valley Region which includes Hants, Kings and Annapolis Counties. The Labour Market Monitor is a monthly report focusing on Labour Market Information.
Labour Force Trends
The labour market deteriorated in the Valley Region on a year over year basis, with employment falling by 1,800 from April 2009 to April 2010. The decrease in employment was entirely in full time work, with part time work actually increasing slightly over the period. The labour force in the Valley fell sharply (2,800) on a year over year basis. Reflecting the large drop in the labour force, the level of unemployment declined by 1,000, and the unemployment rate dropped by 1.2 percentage points to 9.0 percent in April 2010 compared to 10.2 percent in April 2009.
For more information, please visit the Statistics Canada website at: www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/lfss05b-eng.htm
| Valley | April | |
|---|---|---|
| Region: 230 | 2009 | 2010 |
| Labour Force (000) | 63.7 | 60.9 |
| Employed (000) | 57.2 | 55.4 |
| Full Time | 45.8 | 43.7 |
| Part Time | 11.4 | 11.7 |
| Unemployed (000) | 6.5 | 5.5 |
| Participation Rate (%) | 62.8 | 59.7 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 10.2 | 9.0 |
| Data is 3 month moving average from the Labour Force Survey, Statistics Canada | ||
Labour Market News by Industry
Agriculture
The decision could be appealed, but Kings County council has approved a development agreement by Pete Luckett for a winery operation in Wallbrook. The development, expected to evolve over a number of years, could eventually include a gift shop, full service restaurant and 12 units of tourist lodging. The subject property is 87 acres. Kings County Register - April 1, 2010
Information, Culture and Recreation
For those in Rural Nova Scotia still without high-speed Internet access, the wait is almost over. The Broadband for Rural N.S. Initiative should be up to speed in a matter of months. Although towers providing fixed wireless Internet should be powered and on air by the end of May, being connected to the service could take longer according to an Eastlink spokesperson. Crews will be out connecting customers for some time after May and anyone who wants high-speed Internet are advised to call East Link's Customer Care Department at 1-888-345-1111 to confirm current availability in their area and book an installation. Hants Journal - April 15, 2010
Finance and Insurance
President/CEO of Valley Credit Union says the former branch and head office will now become a wealth management centre, with two counsellors and an administrative position, as daily banking activities move to the new space next door which officially opened on April 7. The local credit union also hired a lending advisor in May and, with referrals from its 12,000 member customer base, needed the strengthened banking and counselling services. Kentville Advertiser - April 20, 2010
Manufacturing
Michelin says it can't get applicants to fill plant jobs now that the economy is turning around. Waterville plant manager David Griffin said the plant hadn't hired since August 2008, but is now "struggling to get applicants". Michelin has hired 30 people so far this year under flexible worker status. Flex workers in the plant in April 2009 had the opportunity to join a work-share program, a way to avoid 95 layoffs. Over 500 Michelin regular and flex workers participated. The program started for an 18-week run, but was then extended to April 3, 2010. In March of 2009, they were at 40% capacity in the plant - vehicles and trucks were being parked, and the ones on the road were pulling tires off the parked ones. Now, we're seeing it come back according to Griffin. The Waterville plant can make 6,000 tires a day at capacity, and is now at 4,800 though they won't see full production likely until later in 2010. Kentville Advertiser - April 13, 2010
The Clean Annapolis River Project, based in Annapolis Royal, received an infusion of federal funds recently to establish the Atlantic Ecosystem Co-operative where members will market their expertise about protecting the environment, and create up to 10 jobs per year. Many of these jobs will be in rural and remote communities served by the member organizations. A new co-operative (Annapolis Oilseed Co-op) is looking to establish an oilseed processing plant in Lawrencetown and also received a federal grant to help fund a feasibility study. These projects are being funded under CDI, a 4-year, $19.1 million program that helps Canadians develop new co-operatives and experiment innovative ways of using the co-operative model. www.coop.gc.ca Annapolis County Spectator - April 1, 2010
Education
Details from the Department of Education may be scarce, but Annapolis Valley Regional School Board's (AVRSB) superintendent of schools Margo Tait has enough information to know the school board will be facing some tough budget decisions for the year ahead. She suggests it is safe to say 2010/ 2011 won't be a year of growth for the AVRSB and acknowledges the province's projected $222 million deficit and declining enrolment as two factors that could negatively affect the school board's ability to fund programs and services. Kings County Register - April 22, 2010
Premier Darrell Dexter announced his government was adding 250 spaces for students at NSCC campuses across the province at a cost of $2 million. No definitive decision has been made on where the new spaces for students will go but it would be for high-demand areas of employment including the fields of health, human-services, and trades and technology. For the 2009-10 academic year, 10,959 full-time students are enrolled in certificate or diploma programs at one of NSCC's 13 campuses across the province. Kings County Register - April 14, 2010
Health
The Our Community, Our Health campaign is an $8 million effort to expand healthcare services at Valley Regional Hospital and build the first Valley hospice/palliative care centre. The hospital upgrade has finished physically, but two major pieces of equipment have yet to be purchased: a medication delivery system and computerized information system for the emergency unit. The size of the Valley Regional Hospital's emergency department has increased from 7,650 to 16,000 square feet. Another addition to emergency is the on-site Senior Rapid Assessment Team, including a social worker, physiotherapist and occupational therapist. Kentville Advertiser - April 20, 2010
Tenders for construction are out for a new facility for the Windsor Day Care Centre with work to begin no later than June to be ready to move in by September. In 2008 the day care received a boost through a $675,000 provincial funding initiative while the Town of Windsor provided an ideal building site on Victoria Street. The new facility will increase services to families by almost doubling the number of licensed seats to 100, eight of which will include infant care. Hants Journal - April 1, 2010
Public Administration:
The new Town and County Visitor Welcome Centre is now open for business at 341 Main Street in Kentville - a joint effort of the County of Kings, Kentville and Destination Southwest Nova Association (DSWNA). The centre will be open year-round as both a venue for tourist information and a satellite office for DSWNA. Kings County Register - April 8, 2010
The Wolfville tourist bureau, the busiest in the region, opens May 1. It welcomed 8,999 visitors last year, 9,241 in 2008 and 8,470 in 2007. Kings County Register - April 8, 2010
Kings County Council has let go four top bureaucrats in an effort to save money, and become more efficient including Chief Administrative Officer, Corporate Services Director, Engineering and Public Works Director and the Community Development Director. A caretaker chief operating officer has been installed. Kings County Register - April 15, 2010
Other:
Kings Regional Development Authority's new executive director is Stephen Kerr. Kentville Advertiser - April 13, 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: glenn.mcmullen@servicecanada.gc.ca
or visit: www.labourmarketinformation.ca