(Photo from Four County Labour Market Planning Board Website).
The unemployment rate from the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic region has decreased once again in November to 2.8 per cent.
The Four County Labour Market Planning Board says the rate dropped by 0.2 per cent from 3 per cent, continuing the trend of being the lowest unemployment rate in the province.
The board says the last time the rate fell under 3 per cent was in late 2019.
The overall net employment for the region is unchanged for the third month in row, sitting steady at 162,000, with 400 full-time gains reported, which were offset partially by 300 part-time losses.
In the goods-producing sector, the number of workers increased to a net 1,100, with the greatest increase occurring in construction with 2,200. The greatest losses came from agriculture, with 1,600.
The services-producing sector saw an employment decrease by net 1,000, with the greatest gains coming from health care and social assistance with 2,200. Educational services also experienced an increase with 1,300 reported. The greatest losses came from wholesale and retail trade as well as accommodation and food services, both at 1,300.
Board Executive Director Gemma Mendez-Smith says, “the persistently low local unemployment rate continues to parallel what we saw before the pandemic; once again, the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula has the lowest unemployment rate in the Ontario. This reinforces the need to focus on retaining current employees, and encouraging those who live locally but are not currently working to return to the labour force where possible.”
All jobs postings in the Bruce, Grey, Huron, and Perth region are available on the Connect 2 Jobs website, with over 2,200 current opportunities.