The unemployment rate for the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region increased ever so slightly in November, led by job losses in the goods-producing sector and construction.
According to the latest report from the Four County Labour Market Planning Board, local unemployment increased by 0.1 percentage points to 3.7 per cent. This came after a decrease to 3.6 per cent in October.
The number of goods-producing sector employees decreased by 1,800 in November, followed by construction which shed 1,500 jobs and manufacturing which lost 1,300.
The losses in those sectors were offset by hirings in the service sector, including health care which added 1,700, education (+1,600) and transportation (+1,200).
“We are encouraged by the increases in the health care and social assistance and agriculture sectors and will continue to monitor these changes” said Dana Soucie, Executive Director for the Four County Labour Market Planning Board. “Although we see decreases in the goods-producing sector this is expected due to seasonality.”
There were 1,500 full-time jobs lost in November compared to 1,700 part-time employment gains.
According to the Labour Market Planning Board, the region’s overall population and labour force size increased by 300.
* Statistics Canada’s monthly Labour Force Survey provides estimates of employment and unemployment, based on a sampling of households in communities. Stratford-Bruce Peninsula figures represent a three-month moving average, unadjusted for seasonality.