Labour Market Update - Annapolis Valley
August 2009*
Overview
Seasonal boost to employment not realized this year
•The Annapolis Valley so far this summer is not seeing the usual seasonal improvement in employment. The labour market began to pick up in March and jobs were added each month through June. However, employment decreased in July and August and is currently lower than April’s level. Valley employment usually peaks in July or August but seasonal factors appear to be having little effect on the job market this year.
•August employment is down by 5,600 from the same month last year and most of those absent jobs were full-time in 2008. Last year saw the highest employment numbers on record, however.
•The unemployment rate is down slightly from July because of lower labour force participation but is 2.4 percentage points higher than in August, a year ago.
•The monthly employment declines in July and August this year have been in the Manufacturing sector and in Service sector industries including Transportation and Public Administration.
•The job declines compared to a year ago have been greatest in Manufacturing, Trade, and the tourism-sensitive Accommodation & Food industry group.
*This report is an analysis of three month moving average data from Statistics Canada’s monthly Labour Force Survey. The reader should be cautioned that because of relatively small sample sizes in subprovincial regions, data reliability may be an issue.
In the News
Winners opened in New Minas on August 27 adding between 40-50 full and part-time jobs to the local economy. Kentville Advertiser - August 25, 2009
Three Annapolis County harbours (Victoria Beach, Delaps Cove, and Hampton) will get almost $1 million in funding from the federal government. All three are working fishing communities.
Annapolis County Spectator – August 6, 2009
On August 30, $318,000 in federal government support and $100,000 in provincial support was announced that will enable the Harbourville Restoration Society (HRS) to complete its harbour wharf project.
Kentville Advertiser - August 31, 2009
Acadia Cinema is being revitalized by a federal government investment of more than $72,294 for upgrades to the structure. Kentville Advertiser - August 25, 2009
Three existing Middleton area businesses are expanding, while new plans for development are slowly taking shape in the Middleton Industrial Park. Kings Processing is expanding at its current location while Valley Flaxflour Ltd. moved to a larger facility in the park. K&J Trucking Ltd. will begin construction at a new location this fall, hoping to relocate later this year. The delay in the target opening date for the new nursing home to 2010 may have increased the value of the project currently projected at about $12 million; much higher than the original projected figure. Annapolis County Spectator – August 6, 2009
A tender for the Wentworth Road Phase III project could be awarded by Windsor Council as early as Aug. 7 and work is anticipated to begin this summer at a cost of $2.5 million. Hants Journal – August 6, 2009
The Valley Berry Industry is growing. According to the horticulturist and crop specialist for Agra Point, acreage for grapes, blueberries and cranberries is seeing significant growth and the value of strawberries and raspberries is also increasing. Reasons cited include a high value cash crop along with the recent marketing of berries’ health benefits. Kentville Advertiser - August 18, 2009
The new website for the Business Retention and Expansion Program (
For more information please contact . . .
Gary Hartlin
Economist
99 Wyse Road, P.O. Box 1350
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B2Y 4B9
(902) 426-5561
E-mail: gary.hartlin@servicecanada.gc.ca
Web site: www.labourmarketinformation.ca
Glenn McMullen
Labour Market Information Analyst
495 Main Street
Kentville, Nova Scotia B4N 3W5
(902) 679-5516
E-mail: glenn.mcmullen@servicecanada.gc.ca
Web site: www.labourmarketinformation.ca