Labour Market Monitor - Annapolis Valley NS
June 2011
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 Valley area's labour market continued to demonstrate weak performance in June with the area's unemployment rate up 1.4 percentage points compared to June 2010. The unemployment rate now stands at 10.8%. A significant (-1,800) employment decline over the past 12 months has pushed unemployment up; although the area's declining participation rate is helping to moderate the unemployment increases as more and more workers leave the labour market.
For more information, please visit the Statistics Canada website at: www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/lfss05b-eng.htm
| Valley | June | |
|---|---|---|
| Region: 230 | 2010 | 2011 |
| Labour Force (000) | 60.5 | 59.3 |
| Employed (000) | 54.7 | 52.9 |
| Full Time | 43.2 | 40.9 |
| Part Time | 11.6 | 12.0 |
| Unemployed (000) | 5.7 | 6.4 |
| Participation Rate (%) | 60.5 | 59.5 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 9.4 | 10.8 |
| Data is 3 month moving average from the Labour Force Survey, Statistics Canada | ||
Labour Market News by Industry
Manufacturing
Greatvalley Juices is upgrading its Port Williams facility with a five-year $140,000 incentive from the provincial Industrial Expansion Fund. The company recently installed new equipment in the facility that will open new potential markets. Using innovative technology and skilled labour, it will now produce more consumer friendly and recyclable one litre plastic bottles, in addition to its traditional tin cans. A Greatvalley Juice spokesperson says the development is an important strategic addition to further reinforce the position of the Port Williams facility and remain competitive in the Canadian fruit juice industry. The company is a successful subsidiary of Quebec's A. Lassonde Inc. Using local products, the Port Williams facility produces fruit and vegetable juices for markets in Canada. Chronicle Herald - June 2, 2011
Trade
Pete's Frootique has announced plans to add a location in Wolfville. A century-old former Apple warehouse on Main Street will be converted and refurbished to accommodate the store in what is known as the Warehouse Mall. The mall itself will be adjusted to devote 10,000 square feet to the new space, and retail building owner Landmark Developments is excited about the new relationship. The store is scheduled to open in spring of 2012, coinciding with the 20th Anniversary of the opening of the flagship Pete's store in Bedford. Daily Business Buzz - June 20, 2011
Information and Cultural
The official opening of the new library in Bridgetown ($250,000) took place in June. Chronicle Herald - June 13, 2011
Transportation and Warehousing
Kings Transit Authority marked its 30th anniversary and grand opening of its new transit centre on June 10 in New Minas. The company received $830,000 for the purchase and renovation of the facility, the former location of Bonnyman Pontiac, and $250,000 for equipment through the Public Transit Capital Trust 2008. The renovations included the installation of a new pit, doors for the garage and creation of a new public terminal. Kings Transit Authority is a public transit service funded by the County of Kings and the towns of Berwick, Kentville, and Wolfville and services Digby, Annapolis and Hants counties. Kentville Advertiser - June 13, 2011
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
Stakeholder discussions are underway locally after the province announced merger plans involving the Nova Scotia Agricultural College (NSAC). New partnerships could be in the works that will benefit agricultural communities across the province, particularly in the Annapolis Valley. A research triangle that capitalizes on the agriculture and agri-food research capacity at Acadia University, the Kentville Agricultural Research Station, NSAC and Dalhousie will be a tremendous economic asset to the Valley and the province. The proposed research triangle would be a centre of genetic research excellence and business incubator based at the Kentville Research Station and Acadia, combining the faculty research capacity at Acadia and NSAC with the station's scientists to create a critical mass of scientists who could attract public and private research funds and lead the development of marketable process and products in agriculture and agri-food. Proximity to an array of well-established producers in the Valley and the emerging Nova Scotia grape and wine industry, make a research triangle feasible. The benefits of this form of economic activity are in the range of 400 high wage jobs. Kentville Advertiser - June 21, 2011
Health Care and Social Assistance
Dentist Dr. Scott Schofield is now in residence at 196 Commercial Street in Berwick. Schofield bought the property and has moved his practice from the Western Kings Memorial Health Centre as of late May. Kentville Advertiser - June 14, 2011
Windsor Vision Centre is celebrating the opening of its new clinic at 35 Payzant Drive in Windsor. Hants Journal - June 16, 2011
There is now an alternative to long waits in the emergency unit at Valley Regional Hospital. People with minor emergencies coming in the door will still be triaged, but some will enter the minor emergency care (MEC) section after being assessed by the nurse on duty. The MEC is only open to walk-in patients and has all of the resources of the hospital's X-ray and lab departments. It is staffed by one of the two emergency medical physicians on duty during daylight hours and a nurse assistant. Kings County Register - June 9, 2011
Town council is working on helping the Windsor Day Care Society secure a line of credit that will kick-start the construction of a $1 million childcare facility on Grey Street in Windsor. The town loaned the society money to purchase land for the build that was expected to start in July 2010 but construction was postponed for financial reasons. The line of credit would bring the society to the $1 million mark, and allow construction to get underway while the weather is still good, and construction costs are minimal. Hants Journal - June 30, 2011
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation
The new Fundy YMCA could be open by the end of the year depending on the success of a $500,000 fundraising campaign that was recently launched. The goal is to have the funds raised with renovations commencing by fall 2011 which would allow for an anticipated opening date in December. Annapolis County Spectator - June 23, 2011
Accommodation and Food Service
Scratch Bakery is now open at 7778 Highway #14 in Brooklyn. Phone: (902) 757-3377 Hants Journal - June 30, 2011
A new café, Cool Water Café will be opening later this summer adjacent to the Bridgetown library. Chronicle Herald - June 13, 2011
Public Administration
The Pearson Peacekeeping Centre (PPC) will consolidate its operations in Ottawa and close its offices in Cornwallis by the end of this year in order to streamline costs. The centre began operations in Cornwallis 17 years ago and has trained thousands of military and police personnel, along with civilians. The closure will affect 12 administrative staff in Cornwallis where staff levels have already dropped to 12 from 21, with the remaining staff leaving soon. The buildings are expected to be put up for sale. Hope remains that the actual courses and the spin-off jobs they help maintain may be staying at the neighbouring Annapolis Basin Conference Centre. Chronicle Herald - June 14, 2011
Nearly 50,000 locked-out Canada Post workers were forced back to the job under settlement terms arranged by government, rather than through a collective bargaining process as the result of the Canada Post back-to-work legislation passed on June 26th by the senate and made into law. Various Papers - June 27, 2011
West Hants council is standing firm in its resolve to leave the Hants Regional Development Authority (HRDA) in July. A motion June 14 to rescind the motion on the floor in order to let council stay with the HRDA for another year while they explore options was voted down by council. By mid-July, council's funding agreement with the HRDA will expire. Hants Journal - June 23, 2011
Access Nova Scotia and Kings County Land Registration Office are moving from downtown kentville and will be co-locating in late June at their new location at 750 Shylah Drive in Kentville. For online services visit www.accessns.ca; Phone: (800) 670-4357 Kentville Advertiser - June 21, 2011
Miscellaneous
Wolfville Business Development Corporation's (WBDC) first full-time executive director, David Hovell, is looking to bring new enterprises and customers to town. The WBDC is funded by Wolfville business and works in partnership with the Town of Wolfville, Acadia University and business owners and is currently in the process of assembling an inventory of available commercial space in town. Chronicle Herald - June 27, 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: glenn.mcmullen@servicecanada.gc.ca
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