February 2020 Labour Market Update

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

February Unemployment Rate: Brantford 4.7% [+] Ontario 5.5% [+] Canada 5.6% [+]

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 Reports

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

Statistics Canada Summary

For Canada and Ontario, Statistics Canada reports that, “Employment was little changed in February (+30,000 or +0.2%), and the unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage points to 5.6%.

Compared with 12 months earlier, employment rose by 245,000 (+1.3%), the result of gains in full-time work (+252,000 or +1.6%). Over the same period, hours worked were up 2.3%, partly due to the fact that hours worked were at a relatively low level in February 2019....

Employment increased for youth, while there was little change among the core-aged and older populations.

In February, there were more people working in wholesale and retail trade, in manufacturing, as well as in information, culture and recreation. At the same time, employment declined in professional, scientific and technical services and in accommodation and food services.

There was little change in the number of employees in both the private and public sectors. Self-employment held steady....

While employment held steady in British Columbia and Ontario in February, the unemployment rate rose notably as more people searched for work. The rate increased by 0.5 percentage points to 5.0% in British Columbia and by 0.3 percentage points to 5.5% in Ontario....

Employment in wholesale and retail trade rose by 23,000 in February, contributing to year-over-year gains of 57,000 (+2.0%).

The number of people working in manufacturing increased for a second consecutive month, up by 16,000 in February. Most of the gains were recorded in Ontario. Compared with 12 months earlier, national employment in the sector was unchanged.

In information, culture and recreation, employment grew by 14,000, bringing the number of people working in this sector to a level similar to that of 12 months earlier....

Employment in educational services was unchanged in February. An estimated 15% of employees (unadjusted for seasonality) working in this sector in Ontario lost hours during the survey reference week (February 9 to February 15) due to labour disputes. The majority were elementary and secondary school teachers and most of those who lost hours missed only part of the week....

[Work] hours worked increased in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and Nova Scotia. As a result, total hours worked nationally were up by 1.2% compared with January.

Total hours worked increased by 2.3% on a year-over-year basis, reflecting the notable monthly growth in February and the fact that hours were at a relatively low level in February 2019."

Top Line

• February Unemployment Rate: Brantford 4.7% [+] Ontario 5.5% [+] Canada 5.6% [+]
• The local unemployment rate increased by 0.4 month over month.
• The local labour force contracted by 1,500 month over month.
• The number of employed decreased by 1,800 month over month.
• The number of unemployed increased by 300 month over month.
• When compared to the surrounding CMAs of Hamilton, Niagara, Waterloo, Guelph, and London, Brantford’s unemployment rate remains 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