April 2022 Labour Market Update

The latest Statistics Canada local labour market report customized for the Brantford CMA for last month is now available.

April Unemployment Rate: Brantford 4.8% [-] Ontario 5.4% [+] Canada 5.2% [-]

Be sure to review the participation rate and the employment rate (reported as percentages), as well as the labour force, the employed, and the unemployed values (reported as absolute numbers). These give a better picture of changes in the market.

Labour Market Report

The report includes annual rates for the last 10 years, comparing Brantford to surrounding CMAs as well as the provincial and national levels.

Overview from Statistics Canada

• Visit the Statistics Canada page for full information.

Employment was little changed in April after two consecutive months of growth. The unemployment rate edged down 0.1 percentage points to 5.2%.

Increases in employment in professional, scientific and technical services and public administration were offset by declines in construction and retail trade. There were more people working in the Atlantic region and Alberta, while employment fell in Quebec. At the national level, employment gains among core-aged women aged 25 to 54 were offset by a decrease among core-age men.

Total hours worked fell 1.9% in April, driven in part by absences related to illness or disability.

Average hourly wages were up 3.3% (+$0.99 to $31.06) year over year, similar to the growth observed in March (+$1.03; +3.4%).

As of the April reference week (April 10 to 16), remaining capacity limits affecting business operations had generally been lifted, although some combination of masking, proof-of-vaccination, or testing remained a requirement in some settings in certain jurisdictions.

Employment holds steady in April

Employment was little changed in April 2022, after two consecutive months of growth.

The employment rate held steady at 61.9%.

Employment rose among core-aged women (+43,000; +0.7%), and declined among core-aged men (-36,000; -0.5%) in April.

Employment increased in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Alberta, while it declined in Quebec.

Employment gains in professional, scientific and technical services, as well as in public administration, were offset by declines in construction and retail trade.

Total hours worked were down 1.9% in April, partly due to an increase in illness-related absences.

In April, average hourly wages were up 3.3% (+$0.99 to $31.06) year over year, similar to the growth observed in March (+3.4%; +$1.03).

Unemployment rate continues to decline

After reaching a record low of 5.3% in March, the unemployment rate edged down 0.1 percentage points to 5.2% in April.

The unemployment rate for people aged 25 to 54 fell 0.2 percentage points to 4.3%, the lowest recorded rate since comparable data became available in 1976.

Long-term unemployment accounted for 20.6% of total unemployment in April 2022, up from the pre-pandemic February 2020 level of 15.6%.

Local Top Line

• April Unemployment Rate: Brantford 4.8% [-] Ontario 5.4% [+] Canada 5.2% [-]
• The local unemployment rate decreased by 0.3 month over month.
• The local labour force contracted by 200 month over month.
• The number of employed did not change month over month.
• The number of unemployed decreased by 200 month over month.
• When compared to the surrounding CMAs of Hamilton, Niagara, Waterloo, Guelph, and London, Brantford’s unemployment rate is tied for the lowest.

Note: Brantford's unemployment reflects a 3 month moving average, whereas Ontario and Canada are monthly figures. The sample CMA breakdown for Brantford area is detailed in text at the Stats Canada website: http://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p3VD.pl?Function=getVD&TVD=117159&CVD=117161&CPV=543&CST=01012011&CLV=2&MLV=3