PERTH COUNTY – In September, the unemployment rate for the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region (ER) decreased by 0.3 percentage points from 3.9 per cent to 3.6 per cent, which went back to the same lowest rate as in July 2021. This unemployment rate remains the lowest among economic regions in Ontario.
Meanwhile, the provincial unemployment rate decreased to 8.1 per cent, with both rates unadjusted for seasonality.
Overall net employment in the region increased by 1,200, with full-time gains (700) and part-time gains (600). This has been the third consecutive month of increase for part-time workers.
The number of goods-producing sector workers increased by net 400. The main driving force came from positive gains in construction (1,500) while the biggest losses were in agriculture (-800).
Employment in the services-producing sector also increased by net 900. The greatest gains came from health care and social assistance (2,300) and transportation and warehousing (1,200). Not surprisingly, the biggest losses occurred in accommodation and food services (-900). The gains in other sub-sectors greatly offset this loss, thus resulting in a net gain of 900 jobs in the services-producing sector.
“Many of the job losses could be attributed to students returning to school and the seasonal nature of parts of the local economy,” said Gemma Mendez-Smith, executive director of the Four County Labour Market Planning Board. “Nonetheless, an increase in the labour pool remains a key priority for the region as there are many jobs that continue to remain vacant for extended periods.”
