Prince Edward Island Labour Market Brief
March 2011
| Monthly Variation | Yearly Variation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| in thousands of persons | March 2011 | February 2011 | March 2010 | Level | Percent | Level | Percent |
| Population 15+ | 118.6 | 118.5 | 116.6 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 1.7 |
| Labour Force | 80.6 | 79.6 | 79.7 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 1.1 |
| Employment | 71.6 | 70.2 | 71.3 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Full-Time | 59.4 | 59.1 | 58.5 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.5 |
| Part-Time | 12.2 | 11.2 | 12.7 | 1.0 | 8.9 | -0.5 | -3.9 |
| Unemployment | 9.0 | 9.3 | 8.4 | -0.3 | -3.2 | 0.6 | 7.1 |
| Participate Rate (%) | 68.0 | 67.2 | 68.4 | 0.8 | - | -0.4 | - |
| Unemployment Rate (%) | 11.2 | 11.7 | 10.5 | -0.5 | - | 0.7 | - |
| Employment Rate (%) | 60.4 | 59.2 | 61.1 | 1.2 | - | -0.7 | - |
| Total may not add due to rounding Source: Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey |
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There was a slight increase in the labour force month-to-month. A 2% increase in employment was partially offset by a drop in the number of persons unemployed. The unemployment rate fell to 11.2% in March.
The labour force was up slightly on a year-over-year basis. Employment fell marginally from the previous year and the number of unemployed persons rose by 7.1%. Part-time employment declined by nearly 4% from the previous year, and all job losses were attributed to women.
The unemployment rate stood at 11.2% in March 2011, slightly higher than it was a year ago. There were 9,000 persons unemployed in the province which is up by 3.2% from the previous year. The number of unemployed men fell slightly to 5,200 and the number of women rose to 3,900 (+600). The unemployment rate for women was 10.1% in March 2011, which is up by 1.7 percentage points from the previous year. Women between the ages of 25-54 years experienced the largest increase in unemployment.
The participation rate edged up from the previous month, but remains slightly lower than it was a year ago. At 68%, the participation rate in March 2011 was the highest in Atlantic Canada and exceeded the national average by 1.1 percentage points. The participation rate for women in the core-age group (25-54 years) was the highest in the country, at 86.3%.
| Monthly Variation | Yearly Variation | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonally Adjusted Data ('000) | March 2011 | February 2011 | March 2010 | Number | % | Number | % |
| Total | 71.6 | 70.2 | 72.0 | 1.4 | 2.0 | -0.4 | -0.6 |
| Goods Producing Sector | 17.5 | 16.9 | 16.8 | 0.6 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 4.2 |
| Agriculture | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 2.9 |
| Forestry, fishing, mining, oil and gas | 3.1 | 2.8 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 10.7 | 0.4 | 14.8 |
| Utilities | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.3 | -0.1 | -25.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Construction | 5.3 | 5.0 | 5.1 | 0.3 | 6.0 | 0.2 | 3.9 |
| Manufacturing | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Service Producing Sector | 54.1 | 53.3 | 55.2 | 0.8 | 1.5 | -1.1 | -2.0 |
| Trade | 10.3 | 9.7 | 11.2 | 0.6 | 6.2 | -0.9 | -8.0 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 0.1 | 5.0 | -0.1 | -4.5 |
| Finance, insurance, real estate and leasing | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -0.1 | -4.0 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 3.3 | 2.7 | 2.5 | 0.6 | 22.2 | 0.8 | 32.0 |
| Business, building and other support services | 2.5 | 2.7 | 2.4 | -0.2 | -7.4 | 0.1 | 4.2 |
| Educational Services | 6.1 | 6.3 | 6.2 | -0.2 | -3.2 | -0.1 | -1.6 |
| Health care and social assistance | 8.7 | 8.7 | 88 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -0.1 | -1.1 |
| Information culture and recreation | 2.9 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 26.1 |
| Accommodations and food services | 5.8 | 5.0 | 5.6 | 0.8 | 16.0 | 0.2 | 3.6 |
| Other Services | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.7 | -0.3 | -10.3 | -1.1 | -29.7 |
| Public Administration | 7.5 | 7.9 | 7.9 | -0.4 | -5.1 | -0.4 | -5.1 |
| "-" indicates number suppressed due to high sample variance Total may not add due to rounding Source: Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey – HRSDC Table-088 |
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Goods-producing sector
There were 17,500 persons employed in the goods-sector in March 2011, up by 4.2% from a year ago.
- Most of the gains occurred in the forestry and fishing industry (+400), followed by construction (+200). The level of employment in manufacturing was unchanged on a year-over-year basis.
Services-producing sector
There were 54,100 persons employed in the Island's service-sector in March, which is a decrease of 2% compared to the previous year.
- There were 10,300 persons employed in the trade industry in March 2011, which is 8% lower than it was a year ago. Employment was also lower in public administration and in other services.
- Partially offsetting the noted declines were year-over-year employment gains in professional and technical services (+800); information, culture and recreation (+600); and accommodation and food services (+200).
Prepared by: Labour Market and Socio-economic Information Directorate, Maritime Region
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