Labour Market Monitor - Annapolis Valley NS
December 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
Employment fell slightly (600) in the Valley Region on a year over year basis, reflecting a decrease of 3,200 full time jobs that was offset to a degree by an increase of 2,500 in part time work. With a small increase (600) in the labour force over the two periods, the level of unemployment increased by 1,200. The unemployment rate rose by almost two percentage points from 8.6% in December 2009 to 10.4% in December 2010.
For more information, please visit the Statistics Canada website at: www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/lfss05b-eng.htm
| Annapolis Valley | December | |
|---|---|---|
| Region: 230 | 2009 | 2010 |
| Labour Force (000) | 62.9 | 63.5 |
| Employed (000) | 57.5 | 56.9 |
| Full Time | 46.9 | 43.7 |
| Part Time | 10.7 | 13.2 |
| Unemployed (000) | 5.4 | 6.6 |
| Participation Rate (%) | 61.7 | 62.0 |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 8.6 | 10.4 |
| Data is 3 month moving average from the Labour Force Survey, Statistics Canada | ||
Labour Market News by Industry
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
The provincial government wants to almost halve the amount of clear cutting in the province's forests over five years and ban the harvesting of whole trees. Whole-tree harvesting refers to taking all parts of the tree rather then leaving branches and woody debris that are important for the soil. An exception will be made for Christmas tree harvesting. The province will also ensure no public money is used for herbicide spraying. The forestry policy directions laid out Dec.1, 2010 are still subject to consultation with the Mi'kmaq First Nation, woodlot owners, sawmill owners and environmental organizations. Chronicle Herald - December 2, 2010
Warner Vineyard in Lakeville is the largest grower of ice wine grapes in the province with three hectares of Vidal grapes in his 20-hectare vineyard. Grapes growers just had one of their best seasons on record, with lots of sunshine and warmth through the summer translating into one of their best crops ever. Chronicle Herald - December 23, 2010
Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction
A US-based gas and exploration company working near Kennetcook has the capital to continue searching Hants County, and are looking for the go ahead from investors. The chief financial officer for the Petroleum Triangle Corporation says that the oil and gas exploration and production company is still interested in working in the province. Hants Journal - December 2, 2010
Utilities
After almost three month on the picket line, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) of Scotia Recycling returned to sorting waste at the Kentville industrial park site Dec. 20 for the first time since Sept. 27. The recycling processor's 25 full-time and several part-time workers went on strike when negotiations on the local's first collective agreement fell apart. At issue were six-day workweeks, wages and health and safety. Kings County Advertiser - December 28, 2010
International power giant Alstom revealed its plans to commercialize its industrial-scale Beluga 9 tidal energy turbine in the Bay of Fundy in 2012. Alstom will join two other developers - Nova Scotia Power and Minas Basin Pulp and Power of Hantsport - that have berths for turbines on the Bay of Fundy floor. Minas Basin Pulp and Power and its partner, Marine Current Turbines Ltd. of Bristol, England, will join Alstom and deploy their turbine in 2012. Chronicle Herald - December 8, 2010
Construction
Canning's 35-year old Glooscap District Arena is getting a $360,000 upgrade makeover which is necessary for the facility to meet building code and insurance guidelines. Chronicle Herald - December 6, 2010
If all goes as planned, the Town of Windsor will have a new, multi-million dollar sewage treatment plant by the spring of 2014 at an estimated cost of $7.2 million. Hants Journal - December 9, 2010
Windsor's Mill Island property, known to many as the old textile plant, is back on the open market. After financial difficulties brought recent attempts to open retail and condo space in the historic building to a halt, developers Kevin Keefe and Terry Hines opted to relist the $3.1 million property. Hants Journal - December 2, 2010
Manufacturing
The closure of a Maple Leaf Foods plant in Nova Scotia early in the new year will mean the layoff of approximately 280 people in the small town of Berwick, N.S., and about 40 new jobs in Moncton. Maple Leaf reported that the 40 new jobs at the Moncton plant could be filled by employees laid off from the plant in Berwick. The company plans to wind down operations beginning in April and close the facility by the end of the month. Production will be consolidated at Maple Leaf's prepared meats facilities in New Brunswick and Ontario. The company is working to find alternative uses for the plant that would provide jobs to the laid-off workers. Affected employees will receive severance packages that go beyond provincial labour requirements, as well as personal counselling and ongoing outplacement services and workshops. They will also be encouraged to seek employment across Maple Leaf's facilities. Times and Transcript - December 9, 2010
Foamworx - Diamond Diversified Industries Ltd. - of Cornwallis Park has acquired Penmar/Diversified Novelties of New Jersey as of December 2. The two manufacturing suppliers became one company and will operate under the Foamworx brand name. The President of Foamworx expects to see an increase in productivity at its Cornwallis Park manufacturing facility. Annapolis Digby Economic Development Agency - December 2, 2010
Trade
With fierce competition in the grocery industry, Kent Co-op in New Minas is fighting to survive as it confronts declining sales. Kent owes $2 million to Co-op Atlantic and without its support would have ceased operations several years ago. There is stiff competition in close proximity from three other stores selling groceries in addition to the new Giant Tiger. Kings County Advertiser - December 28, 2010
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
Convergys announced on December 15, 2010, that the company will close its call centre in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia in March 2011 putting approximately 300 people out of work. The facility is an inbound call centre offering customer service for a large U.S. wireless provider. Convergys will transition work currently performed in Cornwallis to other Convergys sites that currently service this customer service program which Convergys says will enable them to better serve its clients by increasing efficiencies and reducing costs. Affected employees might be able to continue to work from home, if they meet the performance and home environment requirements and some workers may be able to transfer to other Convergys locations in Nova Scotia where there are employment opportunities. Convergys, which once had four call centres in Nova Scotia, continues to operate in New Glasgow and Dartmouth. When the facility opened, Convergys signed a five-year renewable lease for the building with the Digby-Annapolis Development Corporation. The lease was renewed but expires in April 2011. Convergys opened its Cornwallis operations to much fanfare in April 2004 with about 100 employees and a multimillion-dollar payroll rebate through Nova Scotia Business Inc. which is set to expire in 2011. Chronicle Herald - December 16, 2010
Education
After meeting with the deputy minister of education last week, superintendents representing school boards across the province are collaborating with the Nova Scotia School Boards Association (NSSBA) to draft a collective response outlining the impact on programs and services of the government's proposal to cut what amounts to 22% out of the education budget. The NSSBA estimates the cuts will mean 70 school closures and about 4,000 job losses (with half of those being teaching positions), take 200 buses off the roads and gut programs. NSSBA president Vic Fleury, also a member of the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board (AVRSB), also indicated there could be cuts to programs and services - including support for autistic students, reading recovery, International Baccalaureate, French immersion, breakfast programs and adult high school and that the jobs cuts would run the gamut from teachers to speech pathologists to education assistants to maintenance workers. Kings County Register - Dec. 16, 2010
Educational assistants and other support staff at the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board have voted unanimously in favour of a tentative agreement which covers April 2009 to March 31, 2012, and gives workers pay increases of 2.9%, 1%, and 1% in each of the three years. The 409 members of the local also include library technicians, library support workers, student supervisors, teacher resource centre technicians and student support workers. Chronicle Herald - December 15, 2010
Health Care and Social Assistance
Construction on the new Windsor Daycare Centre is currently stalled. Two years ago the Windsor Daycare was awarded $675,000 by way of a forgivable loan which recently expired and is now being reworked. The project is being redesigned in order to meet the government's revised specifications which alter the originally proposed 100-person facility to an 80-person facility and reduces the overall project cost down to $900,000 from $1.1 million. With the forgivable loan, the group would still require a $255,000 low-interest loan from the government. The project was initially due to start in June 2010. Hants Journal -December 2, 2010
Residents of the Windsor Elms Village nursing home are adjusting to life in the new $36-million continuing care facility in Falmouth. Hants Journal - December 2, 2010
A Hants County buyer has been approved by the courts to be the owner of the Kingsway Gardens retirement complex in Windsor. Jim-Jer Investments Ltd., a company based in Lower Sackville, owns four Nothin' Fancy Furniture stores and a furniture clearance centre. The sale was set to close December 29. The new owner said he intends to keep the Kingsway Gardens operating as a retirement complex, but he noted some improvements will be made to the existing structure. Hants Journal - December 30, 2010
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation
Changes to the Film Industry Tax Credit and Digital Media Tax Credit announced Dec. 6 will ensure the province's film, television and new media industry continues to be one of the most competitive in Canada by providing more incentives to produce in Nova Scotia. Hants Journal - December 9, 2010
The new Fundy YMCA in Cornwallis was one step closer to a spring opening after a recent announcement that all levels of government and several supporting organizations stepped up to the plate with a total of $780,000 in funding to help upgrade the former Lifeplex Wellness Centre. The funds will help upgrade the facility and its exercise equipment to meet YMCA standards. Annapolis County Spectator - December 23, 2010
Accommodation and Food Service
By January, McDonalds (New Minas) will have undergone a complete remodel according to owner Bob Smith. Jus-Mar Investments owns seven McDonalds - Windsor, New Minas, Wal-Mart (New Minas), Coldbrook, Greenwood, Digby and Wal-Mart (Digby). All are scheduled for modifications over the next two years. Kings County Advertiser - December 7, 2010
Pete Luckett, the well-known owner of Pete's Frootique, has recently received a green light from provincial regulators to proceed with his winery complex in Wallbrook which include plans to build a restaurant and tourist cabins on the 35-hectare site. Chronicle Herald - December 24, 2010
Miscellaneous
Another big step has been taken toward building a world-class fossil museum at Blue Beach. The Canada Revenue Agency has awarded charitable status to the Blue Beach Fossil Museum Society, a move that will help the society with plans to build a multimillion-dollar museum and institute at the site just west of Hantsport. Chronicle Herald - December 27, 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