Unemployment continues to increase in 2026, according to the latest figures from the Four County Labour Market Planning Board.
In February, the unemployment rate in the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region increased by 0.2 percentage points to 5.1 per cent. Losses were experienced in both full-time employment and part-time employment.
Sectors which saw the biggest job losses were agriculture, construction and professional, scientific and technical services. Jobs were gained in finance, manufacturing and transportation and warehousing.
"We continue to experience a very low unemployment rate for our region but continue to see positive signs for our workforce" said Dana Soucie, Executive Director for the Four County Labour Market Planning Board in a release. "Gains in employment are being seen in sectors that have previously seen decreases, which is a positive sign of their recovery. The decreases in Goods producing sector align with seasonal trends but may be a bit higher due to the current confidence levels in the market."
The report notes that the local region still has the lowest unemployment rate in the province, with Ontario's overall rate at 7.3 per cent in February.
