WALKERTON – Despite a slight increase in the region’s unemployment rate last month, the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region now has the lowest unemployment rate in the province.
The Four County Labour Market Planning Board recently released May’s unemployment statistics, which shows the region’s unemployment rate at 3.6 per cent, an increase of 0.3 percentage points over April.
The provincial unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.6 per cent.
Both the regional and provincial rate are unadjusted for seasonality.
Overall net employment in the region increased by 1,400, with full-time gains (+2,000) and part-time losses (-600).
The number of goods-producing sector employees increased by net 2,100. The main driving force came from gains in manufacturing (+1,000) and utilities (+600).
Employment in the services-producing sector decreased by net 700. Other services (except public administration) experienced the biggest losses (-1,200). Although educational services experienced gains of 1,100, it could not offset the losses, which resulted in a net decrease of 700.
