Prince Edward Island Labour Market Bulletin
July 2010
Labour Force Trends: Unemployment rate down in 2010.
- The labour force declined, while employment increased from June to July 2010. As a result, the unemployment rate decreased by more than a percentage point compared to the previous month.
- Compared to this period a year ago, labour market indicators improved on the Island. In fact, there has been an increase in the labour force and employment in each month of 2010 when compared to the corresponding months from 2009. Although there was a slight increase in the unemployment rate when comparing June 2010 to June of the previous year, all other months showed a decline in the unemployment rate.
| Monthly Variation |
Yearly Variation |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Seasonally Adjusted) | July 2010 |
June 2010 |
July 2009 |
Number | % | Number | % |
| Population 15+ ('000) | 117.4 | 117.2 | 116.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.2 | 1.0 |
| Labour Force ('000) | 80.5 | 81.0 | 78.9 | -0.5 | -0.6 | 1.6 | 2.0 |
| Employment ('000) | 71.8 | 71.0 | 69.3 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 3.6 |
| - Employment full-time ('000) | 58.0 | 58.0 | 56.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 2.3 |
| - Employment part-time ('000) | 13.8 | 12.9 | 12.6 | 0.9 | 7.0 | 1.2 | 9.5 |
| Unemployment ('000) | 8.7 | 10.0 | 9.6 | -1.3 | -13.0 | -0.9 | -9.4 |
| Participation Rate (%) | 68.6 | 69.1 | 67.9 | -0.5 | 0.7 | ||
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 10.8 | 12.3 | 12.2 | -1.5 | -1.4 | ||
| Employment Rate (%) | 61.2 | 60.6 | 59.6 | 0.6 | 1.6 | ||
Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey - HRSDC Table CD1T47sa
- Full-time and part-time employment levels were up compared to last year, and total employment increased by 3.6%
- Compared to last year, employment increased for both males (1.4%) and females (5.9%). Both full-time and part-time employment levels were up for women, while the increase for males occurred exclusively in part-time jobs.
- The participation rate increased on the Island since July 2009 and it continues to rank among the highest in the country. In July 2010, the participation rate remained the highest in the Atlantic region and the fourth highest in the country.
- The youth labour force was stable over the last year, while employment declined by 100. All of this decrease was in part-time jobs.
Employment by Industry: Educational Services leads employment growth in July
There were 16,100 persons employed in the goods-producing sector in July 2010; down by 200 compared to last year.
- There were year-over-year employment losses in agriculture (-300) and in construction (-900), while the other goods-producing industries increased by a total of 1,000 jobs.
- Females lost more jobs in the goods-producing sector than their male counterparts. Approximately 80% of the losses for females were in manufacturing.
The level of employment in the services-producing sector was 55,700 in July 2010, up by 2,800 compared to the previous year.
- There were job losses in accommodation and food services (-700) and in public administration (-100).
- Gains in all other service-producing industries totalled 3,800, more than offsetting employment losses in this sector. Educational services showed the largest increase in jobs (1,000).
- Within the service-producing industries, females gained jobs primarily in trade, while the largest employment gain for males was in educational services.
| Monthly Variation |
Yearly Variation |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonally Adjusted Data ('000) |
July 2010 | June 2010 | July 2009 | Absolute | % | Absolute | % |
| Total | 71.8 | 71.0 | 69.3 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 3.6 |
| Goods-Producing Sector | 16.1 | 16.5 | 16.3 | -0.4 | -2.4 | -0.2 | -1.2 |
| Agriculture | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | -8.1 |
| Forestry, fishing, mining, oil and gas | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 23.8 |
| Utilities | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 33.3 |
| Construction | 4.4 | 4.6 | 5.3 | -0.2 | -4.3 | -0.9 | -17.0 |
| Manufacturing | 5.3 | 5.5 | 4.9 | -0.2 | -3.6 | 0.4 | 8.2 |
| Services-Producing Sector | 55.7 | 54.5 | 52.9 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 5.3 |
| Trade | 10.2 | 10.5 | 9.8 | -0.3 | -2.9 | 0.4 | 4.1 |
| Transportation & warehousing | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Finance, insurance, real estate and leasing | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 0.2 | 7.7 | 0.2 | 7.7 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 11.5 | 0.8 | 38.1 |
| Management, Administrative & Other Services | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 11.1 | 0.3 | 11.1 |
| Educational services | 6.1 | 6.1 | 5.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 19.6 |
| Health care & social assistance | 9.2 | 8.7 | 8.3 | 0.5 | 5.7 | 0.9 | 10.8 |
| Information, culture and recreation | 2.8 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 16.7 | 0.2 | 7.7 |
| Accommodation and food services | 5.1 | 5.2 | 5.8 | -0.1 | -1.9 | -0.7 | -12.1 |
| Other Services | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Public Administration | 8.2 | 8.1 | 8.3 | 0.1 | 1.2 | -0.1 | -1.2 |
Totals may not add due to rounding.
Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey
Prepared by: Labour Market and Socio-economic Information Directorate, Maritime Region
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