Stratford - Bruce Peninsula Labour Market Monitor: Service Canada: January 2010

The Labour Market Monitor is an overview of the Stratford - Bruce Peninsula Economic Region including the counties of Perth, Huron, Bruce and Grey. This monthly report is produced by a local area Labour Market Information Analyst. For further information, contact: Margaret Ellis.

Labour Force Trends

In the economic region of Stratford-Bruce Peninsula, the size of the labour force increased due to growth in the working-age population and increased labour force participation. Employment fell by 1,200 from January 2009 to January 2010. With the decline in employment, the employment rate fell by 0.6 percentage points to 60.8%. The number of people unemployed increased 2,500 from January 2009 to January 2010, pushing the unemployment rate up from 5.9% to 7.4%. Over this same period, the provincial unemployment rate rose from 7.2% to 8.7%.

For more information, please visit the Statistics Canada website.

Labour Market News by Industry

Accommodation and Food Services

A Mega Wraps fast food franchise is opening in Kincardine in February 2010, creating jobs for food servers.

Administrative and Waste Management Services

Two full-time jobs were lost at the Mid-Huron landfill site due to a reduction in the waste directed to the facility.

Agriculture

In Grey County, rising costs for corn, used for cattle feed and in the manufacture of ethanol, as well as the strength of the Canadian dollar, will negatively affect production and earnings in 2010.

Construction

Re-construction of Main Street in Chesley is set to occur between the spring and fall of 2010. Work will include renovation to the water mains and road surface. Moorefield Excavating is the contractor for the project.

Construction is continuing on a new maintenance and equipment storage depot in Durham, Grey County. Domm Construction is the contractor for the project, which will continue to September 2010.

The $7-million North Perth Reconstruction Project for roads, water and sewers, will go to tender in February 2010. Construction should occur from April to November.

In the City of Owen Sound, the value of construction activities improved in the last six months. For December 2009, 57 building permits valued at $3.8 million were issued, compared with 22 permits valued at half a million dollars in 2008.

In the Township of Huron-Kinloss, although the number of building permits slightly declined, the value of permits increased and totalled $18.4 million in 2009, compared with $14 million in 2008. The increase is due to residential construction activities.

Due to the economic downturn, the number of building permits issued in Kincardine declined by 22%, from 323 in 2008 to 253 in 2009.

Education Services

Effective September 2010, 17 elementary schools across the region will implement the province’s new full-day kindergarten program. A reduction in enrolment and staffing at day-care centres is expected.

Finance Insurance and Real Estate and Leasing

The number of properties sold in the Georgian Triangle increased by 82%, from 258 in the last quarter of 2008 to 469 in the last quarter of 2009. The average house price increased by 2.4% in 2009 over 2008.

Health Care and Social Services

The Township of Southgate still requires a doctor to work in Dundalk. The province provides incentives to attract doctors to work in under serviced areas.

Information and Culture

The counties of Grey and Bruce are expecting increases in tourism activities due to the launch of the website, “Grey Bruce Your Way. The E-initiative should attract more visitors and result in increased business opportunities and more job creation in the communities.

As a result of the province’s new regional approach to tourism, all four counties within the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula area are now a part of 13 tourism regions. The initiative aims to improve coordination in the marketing and management of the tourism product.

Manufacturing

Chapman’s Ice cream will hire at least another 50 employees for the reopening of its production plant in Markdale in the spring of 2010.

Mining

Sifto Salt Mine in Goderich issued temporary layoff notices to 80 employees. The company cited a mild winter and lack of storage as main reasons for the layoffs. Sifto extracts and manufactures salt for consumer and industrial purposes.

Public Administration

In Bruce County, 48 highway workers and 35 part-time library employees approved a new one-year employment contract. The agreement includes a 1% wage increase while other benefits will stay the same.

The municipal office in Kincardine will hire about 46 students for various summer job placements. For further information, contact: www.kincardine.net

The Perth Community Futures Development Corporation (PCFDC) received another disbursement of $1 million from Industry Canada to support projects that will create and save jobs in the community. The PCFDC also offers business advice and training.

Trades, Wholesale and Retail

The Huron Business Development Corporation hired two people to assist with the ‘buy local’ shopping campaign in the county. Plans include the launch of the website, www.shopinhuron.ca, in February to spur business activities and create more jobs in the community.

Utilities

Bruce Power expects improved electricity generation in 2010 due to higher consumption during the winter months and a revival of the manufacturing sector. The demand for electricity fluctuated last year due to the economic downturn.

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.