Labour Market Monitor - Annapolis Valley NS
November 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 changed little on a year over year basis. The labour force rose marginally from November 2009 to November 2010. Employment rose slightly over the period, reflecting a drop in full time work of 2,700 which was more than offset by a rise in part time work of 3,100. With little change in either the labour force or employment, unemployment remained stable on a year over year basis, and the unemployment rate remained constant at 9.1 percent.
For more information, please visit the Statistics Canada website at: www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/lfss05b-eng.htm
| Annapolis Valley | November | |
|---|---|---|
| Region: 230 | 2009 | 2010 |
| Labour Force (000) | 63.4 | 63.7 |
| Employed (000) | 57.6 | 57.9 |
| Full Time | 47.3 | 44.6 |
| Part Time | 10.2 | 13.3 |
| Unemployed (000) | 5.8 | 5.8 |
| Participation Rate (%) | 62.2 | 62.2 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 9.1 | 9.1 |
| Data is 3 month moving average from the Labour Force Survey, Statistics Canada | ||
Labour Market News by Industry
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
The N.S. Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture is investing $750,000 from the Community Development Trust Fund to help the aquaculture sector increase the productivity and sustainabilty of the industry. The investment is intended to help the growing aquaculture sector become more competitive, opening new doors and markets around the globe. Aquaculture is a significant contributor to the economy of rural, coastal Nova Scotia. In 2009, fish and shellfish farmers produced products valued at about $58 million and employed about 700 people. Yarmouth Vanguard - November 3, 2010
The land-based fish farm near Windsor known as Sustainable Blue is set to market North America's first sustainably grown European sea bass. The business has been under development for 18 months and has been raising fish for the past year but just coming to market now. The operation has four employees, with plans to add two more. Chronicle Herald - November 19, 2010
The Kings Regional Development Authority (RDA) and the Acadia Centre for Social and Business Entrepreneurship (ACSBE) will sponsor a series of workshops this winter to introduce farmers to value-added markets, marketing skill and product development. The Kings County Farm Transitions Program will offer business planning and technical services to local farmers as part of a provincial effort to improve the profitability of agriculture in Nova Scotia. Kentville Advertiser - November 9, 2010
Construction
The Lovett Road sidewalk project in Coldbrook originally valued at $243,512.50 plus HST had additional changes which boosted the cost by an additional $51,739.50. The contract was awarded to Dexter Construction in May 2010. Kentville Advertiser - November 23, 2010
Acadia University and the Wolfville Farmers' Market Cooperative have finalized a 20-year lease of the DeWolfe building. The $1-per-year lease paves the way for construction to begin on the building's façade and the installation of vendor stalls and food storage and preparation equipment. Work is expected to begin immediately on the $800,000 project, and finding has been secured from the federal, provincial, municipal and vendor contributions. Kentville Advertiser - November 2, 2010
Work on the new Commercial Street roundabout in New Minas is on schedule and should be open by Nov. 30, 2010. The $2,521,600 contract was awarded to Dexter Construction back on September 9. Kings County Register - November 25, 2010
The province will contribute $100,000 to assist with the acquisition of land for a new wastewater treatment plant for the Town of Windsor. The plant's estimated cost is approximately $7 million and has been in the planning stages for about 10 years. It is especially important with new federal wastewater regulations coming down the pipeline. Hants Journal - November 25, 2010
Manufacturing
After 71 years in operation, the Larsen meat-packing plant in Berwick will close in April, throwing 280 people out of work and dealing a devastating blow to the Valley. Maple Leaf Foods, the Toronto Company that has owned the plant since 2000, is following a restructuring plan designed to make it more competitive. That includes closing some of its 23 processing facilities across Canada and consolidating others. The plant will start gradually winding down operations in February and will be fully closed by April 29. The workers will receive severance pay and some will be offered jobs at Maple Leaf's operations in Bedford, Truro or Moncton. The announcement is a huge hit for Berwick. Not only does the plant employ many area residents (at $18-$20/hr) and contribute to the local economy but it also accounts for 18% of the town's general tax revenues, 50% of its electric utility sales and 50% of the taxes collected for sewer treatment plants operations. The town will work together with Maple Leaf Foods to find another use for the facility. Nova Scotia's pork growing industry collapsed last year after a five-year downward spiral of high production costs and low returns from almost 80 growers to about 5 remaining - half of which ship weaner piglets for American growers. The kill line at Larsens was closed in March 2010, eliminating 45 jobs, because of a shortage of locally produced hogs. The Larsen closure follows the shutdown of Maple Leaf's poultry processing facility in Canard, Kings County, with the loss of 380 jobs in 2007 while Avon Foods Inc. vegetable and apple processing plant (Berwick) closed in 2004 and ACA Co-operative Ltd. closed its Eastern Protein Foods Ltd. chicken processing plant in Kentville in 2009. About 570 jobs were lost at those three plants alone. In the past 5 years, it is estimated that the Annapolis Valley has lost 1,700-2000 jobs in and around the food processing sector. The possibility of Maple Lodge building a proposed chicken processing plant in Kentville by 2012 is an employment option, but there is currently a glut of workers left in the wake of these processing plant closures of recent years. Assorted Newspapers - November 2010
Locally owned and operated Armstrong Food Service in Kingston, is currently the only valley plant that is still slaughtering hogs (only two exist in Nova Scotia) and has the capacity to process about 500 hogs/week. Jim Lamb, near Berwick, is also continuing to raise hogs and market his product through his Meadowbrook Farm Meat Market. Chronicle Herald - November 22, 2010
The local wine industry continues to grow. Within a year, there will be seven wineries within a few minutes drive of Wolfville, with two more in Western Hants County, generating hospitality and retail dollars that flow through to local economies. The federal government has also announced it is investing $220,000 to assist the Winery Association of Nova Scotia (WANS) in promoting the region's wines. Through a redeveloped branding strategy, WANS will boost awareness and accessibility of local products throughout Nova Scotia and internationally. Kings County Register - November 25, 2010
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
The Kingsway Gardens 27-unit enriched retirement housing complex is in receivership. Although the property is being prepped for sale, and is in the hands of a new owner while in receivership, it's business as usual. Hants Journal - November 4, 2010
Although down from 2009 numbers, home sales in the Annapolis Valley in September were higher than in August. According to the Annapolis Valley Real Estate Board, representing 180 realtors from Windsor to Digby, 96 residential properties were sold in September 2010, down 9% from September 2009. Home sales in the Valley remain 4% higher than the first nine months of 2009. There were 194 new residential listings on the board's MLS System in September, down 8% from September 2009. Kentville Advertiser - November 2, 2010
Education
The Annapolis Valley Regional School Board (AVRSB) is very concerned about the new provincial budget reduction exercise which is preparing all eight school boards for a possible $196 million in budget cuts over the next three years. Given the current provincial funding structure, the AVRSB's portion of the reduction targets amounts to $22 million, which represents the Valley board's entire transportation and property services budgets. Hants Journal - November 18, 2010
Enrolment at Acadia University and other Atlantic Canada's universities is up for the second straight year. Acadia's full-time student numbers stood were 3,070 in September 2010 (an increase of 3.9%) while the university has 151 part-time students and 370 international students (a decline of 5.2%). In other news, Acadia, a perennial front runner in the under graduate category, once again came second overall in MacLean's annual ranking of post-secondary schools. Kentville Advertiser - November 23, 2010
Acadia University has launched a new website and name for its Office of Technology and Innovation (OTTI). Now called the Office of Industry and Community Engagement, ICE will act as a single entry point for industry and community interactions. ICE hopes to expand its outreach model, which connects community and industry to its students and faculty researchers in the form of academic, community, commercial and research initiatives. http://ice.acadiau.ca Kentville Advertiser - November 23, 2010
Health Care and Social Assistance
The Ross Report was released on October 26 and it prescribes a number of changes for improving access to emergency service across the province. Recommendations include steps to improve access to primary care through collaborative practice models, enhancing the role of paramedics, increasing senior-focused services, improving mobile emergency mental-health services and broadening the scope of services provided through HealthLink 811. The report makes no recommendations for keeping a 24/7 emergency department in every community, but clearly states that communities need to be consulted before the district health authorities determine how to deliver emergency service. Annapolis County Spectator - November 4, 2010
Annapolis Valley Health (AVH), has confirmed that 24/7 ER service would resume at the Annapolis Community Health Centre in Annapolis Royal and continue until the recommendations of the Ross Report can be implemented. Janet Knox, the President and CEO of AVH promised full 24/7 ER service would resume as soon as possible, it was also acknowledged that it will take time to get all the human resources in place. Annapolis County Spectator - November 25, 2010
Accommodation and Food Service
Breadworks Bakery and Café (Kentville) closed early in November after its opening in May by Paddy's and Rosie's owners John and Brian Fitzgerald. The proposed location of a future paddy's on Commercial Street in New Minas was also recently put up for sale by the pair. Kentville Advertiser- November 2, 2010
Economic Conditions
The Atlantic Provinces Economic Council says Nova Scotia is expected to see 1.6% economic growth in 2011, due to a strong demand for retail goods and housing. The organization feels the outlook for non-energy exports and manufacturing is improving, but the energy sector will continue to lag due to low natural gas prices. Chronicle Herald - November 2, 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