Labour Market Monitor - Annapolis Valley NS
July 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 in the Valley Region continues to weaken on a year-over-year basis in July. Employment contracted slightly compared to July 2009. The large decrease in full-time work (2,800) was partially offset by an increase in the number of part-time jobs (2,200). The labour force declined by a modest amount. The level of unemployment increased in July when compared with the same month last year. As a result, the unemployment rate rose from 7.7 percent in July 2009 to reach 8.6 percent this year.
For more information, please visit the Statistics Canada website at: www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/lfss05b-eng.htm
| Valley | July | |
|---|---|---|
| Region: 230 | 2009 | 2010 |
| Labour Force (000) | 62.0 | 61.9 |
| Employed (000) | 57.2 | 56.6 |
| Full Time | 47.7 | 44.9 |
| Part Time | 9.5 | 11.7 |
| Unemployed (000) | 4.8 | 5.3 |
| Participation Rate (%) | 61.0 | 60.6 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 7.7 | 8.6 |
| Data is 3 month moving average from the Labour Force Survey, Statistics Canada | ||
Labour Market News by Industry
Agriculture
The issue of agricultural land being restricted for farm production or permitted for real estate development is a growing concern for many Nova Scotians. The Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture (NSFA) takes a balanced approach to the concerns of land use issues, in the preservation of productive, finite farmland and in support of an adequate compensation program to ensure a fair return for a farmer's investment. The NSFA's sources report that there is a limited amount of agricultural land remaining in the province. According to the 2006 census, there are approximately 181,915 hectares of active farmland in Nova Scotia - of this the prime agricultural areas of the eastern Annapolis Valley and the Truro-Halifax corridor are under considerable pressure for real estate development. (Farm Focus - July 15, 2010)
A joint report from the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture and the Ecology Action Centre notes that many farms are experiencing difficulty, many farmers are leaving the industry, and children of farmers are choosing other jobs. As an example, there are now four major hog producers in Nova Scotia compared with 90 a decade ago. The report encourages consumers to buy local products in support of the industry, and states Nova Scotians spend a smaller percent of their food dollar on local farm products now than they did 11 years ago. (Chronicle Herald - July 28, 2010)
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada initiated a research project to profile the agricultural industry in Kings County in May 2009, based on the 2006 census. The first phase involves a review of farming types in Kings County. The second phase will produce an agri-value profile that would represent the value-added component of the agricultural industry here. The results could assist in the land use planning process and can illustrate the challenges faced by farmers, and the environmental, social and economic contributions made to the community. (Kings County Register - July 15, 2010)
Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction
Exxon Mobile, the lead owner of the Sable natural gas project, announced it will not go ahead with an expansion of Nova Scotia's only offshore gas-producing development. Production has been in decline for years, and will continue for some time. Current low prices for natural gas were one factor in making the expansion uneconomical at this time. (Chronicle Herald - July 9, 2010)
Utilities
Large scale wind farms could be on the horizon in Kings County if County Council follows through with policy plans now under consideration. Planning staff will likely make a recommendation on the issue this summer and a public hearing will follow in the fall. (Kings County Register - July 29, 2010)
Construction
The Centreville sidewalk project has recently been approved and partially funded by the Build Canada Fund. Kings County Council voted in favour of awarding the contract to Dexter construction for $384,814 + HST. The project should be finished in the current construction year. (Kentville Advertiser - July 20, 2010)
Work on the 7.4-kilometre Highway 101 section between St. Croix and Three Mile Plains in Hants County which started five years ago at a cost of $22 million has just been officially opened. The next big step will be to accelerate the twinning of the highway to Coldbrook with an anticipated completion in 2022. (Chronicle Herald - July 30, 2010)
Kings County Council has given first reading to a rezoning for an Aylesford property that would pave the way for a multi-unit residential development. The maximum capacity for the lots is roughly 19 units, but the developer intends to build five semi-detached dwellings, for a total of 10 rental units. (Kings County Register - July 22, 2010)
Manufacturing
Poultry farmers and Ontario's Maple Lodge Farms - Canada's largest private poultry processor - are building a $46 million plant in the Kentville industrial park, welcome news after the closure of Maple Leaf in 2007 (nearly 400 jobs), Eastern Protein in 2009 (187 union jobs and dozens of non-union positions), and cutbacks at ACA in December (75 unionized employees and several non-union workers). Farmers will own half the plant, in partnership with Maple Lodge Farms. The new plant will open in the former Eastern Protein Foods building in 2012 and employ approximately 200 people. The plant aims to process all of Nova Scotia and some of P.E.I.'s chickens and turkeys. ACA Co-operative plant will close when the new plant goes into operation and its 35 steady and 25 on-call unionized processing jobs in New Minas will move to Kentville when the new plant opens. (Kings County Register - July 16, 2010)
Nearly 110 years after it was originally founded, the Tupperville Fruit Company is back in business, thanks in part to the local food movement and the dedication of its new partners. The Tupperville Fruit Company provides the Atlantic region with a broad range of heritage organic produced and organic baked goods. Recently Tupperville Fruit Company launched a line of baked goods which it markets as Honest Pies (Annapolis County Spectator - July 29, 2010)
Transportation
A new garage for Kings Transit (KT) could soon be built behind the County's municipal complex in Kentville. Kings County Council has directed staff to draft terms for a property agreement between the Municipality and KT, subject to final Council approval and a number of other conditions. (Kings County Register - July 29, 2010)
Trade
Jordan's Home Furnishings Ltd. is under construction as they expand their location at 9108 Commercial Street in New Minas. Phone: 681-7445; Web: www.jordansfurnishings.com (Chronicle Herald - July 27, 2010)
Health Care and Social Assistance
According to a recent report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information, Nova Scotia has a high number of MRI scanning machines per capita compared to the rest of the country, but tends to use them less. According to the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists, Nova Scotia has trouble recruiting technologists certified for MRI work and their 2009 report indicates there were 28 certified MRI technologists in the province. (Chronicle Herald - July 28, 2010)
Information, Culture and Recreation
A portion of the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, A November Christmas, will be shot in Wolfville and Windsor in August. (Kings County Register - July 29, 2010)
Accommodation and Food Services
The owners of Paddy's and Rosie's restaurants in Kentville and Wolfville, have recently opened Bread Works in Kentville. The plan is to centralize bread, pastry and dessert baking for their restaurants at the new bakery and add liquor license for the café space. (Kentville Advertiser - July 20, 2010)
Clara Milligan, owner of Maritime Cookhouse on Main Street in Middleton, has opened her new restaurant at Eisner's former location. (Annapolis County Spectator - July 29, 20100
Public Administration
Stakeholders in Canning are excited, after years of negotiations, they now own the old Cornwallis school property. Kings County Council has approved the transfer of the former Cornwallis District High School (CDHS) property to the village for $1. An active transportation trail and complex to house a number of community institutions are planned for the 14.5-acre site. The land transfer is contingent on design work for the complex being completed before Sept. 30, 2011. (Kings County Register - July 22, 2010)
Kings County Council recently approved the Port Williams Secondary Planning Strategy (SPS) - including the expanded boundary. The SPS increases the size of the growth centre by 81.5 acres in terms of land available for development and open space requirements. (Kentville Advertiser - July 13, 2010)
Regional development authorities will be a little more welcoming this September thanks to funding from the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration Funding. Kings RDA's share of the provincial funding will be used to hire an immigration navigator (to begin in early September) to help new immigrants settle in Kings County. (Annapolis County Spectator - July 29, 2010)
Miscellaneous
There is a new research project - Pathways to Work - funded by the Canada Nova Scotia Labour Market Agreement, exploring the barriers job seekers face in Kings County, in particular the challenges are facing adult discouraged workers. The study runs through October. The two researchers have an office located in the new section of the Cornwallis Inn, but are willing to travel to hear personal experiences recounted. For more information call 365-3622; www.pathwaystowork.ca (Kentville Advertiser - July 20, 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