July 2021 Labour Market Update

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

July Unemployment Rate: Brantford 6.1% [-] Ontario 8.0% [-] Canada 7.5% [-]

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.

Revisions to Labour Force Survey data

Following each census cycle, Labour Force Survey (LFS) data are revised to ensure alignment with the most recently available population estimates, geographic boundaries, and occupation and industry classifications. This standard revision process—which has little impact on key labour market indicators such as employment and the unemployment rate—ensures that the LFS continues to paint a complete and accurate picture of labour market conditions. Read more on the Statistics Canada website.

Overview from Statistics Canada

• Visit the Statistics Canada page for full information.

July Labour Force Survey data reflect labour market conditions during the week of July 11 to 17.

Between the June and July reference weeks, many jurisdictions substantially eased public health restrictions affecting indoor and outdoor dining, recreation and cultural activities, retail shopping, and personal care services.

All public health restrictions—aside from some masking and screening requirements in select settings—were lifted in Alberta (July 1) and Saskatchewan (July 11). British Columbia also lifted virtually all restrictions (July 1), although some capacity limits on certain activities remained. All regions of Quebec moved into the lowest level of restrictions (June 28), followed by a removal of retail capacity limits (July 12).

In Ontario, personal care services partially resumed at the end of June, and the province reopened indoor dining and permitted recreational activities, with certain limitations, at the end of the LFS reference week (July 16). In Manitoba, personal care services and restaurants reopened at the end of June, and capacity limits on restaurants, gyms, and retail stores were further eased on July 17.

Employment growth continues in July

Employment rose by 94,000 (+0.5%) in July, adding to an increase of 231,000 (+1.2%) in June.

The two consecutive months of growth brought employment to 246,000 (-1.3%) below the February 2020 level.

Youth aged 15 to 24 and core-aged women aged 25 to 54 accounted for the bulk of the gains.

All of the employment gains in July occurred in the private sector, where the number of employees rose by 123,000 (+1.0%).

July employment gains were concentrated in full-time work (+83,000; +0.5%); the first increase since March 2021.

The number of employees in the public sector fell by 31,000 (-0.7%) in July, the first decline since April 2020.

The number of employed people who worked less than half their usual hours fell by 116,000 (-10.1%).

Total hours worked were up 1.3% and were 2.7% below their pre-pandemic level.

All of the employment gains were in the services-producing sector (+93,000).

Employment increased in Ontario, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Unemployment trends downward

The unemployment rate fell 0.3 percentage points to 7.5% in July, lower than the recent peak of 9.4% in January 2021.

Long-term unemployment was 244,000 higher than in February 2020 and accounted for more than one-quarter (27.8%) of total unemployment in July.

Unemployment among youth aged 15 to 24 fell by 54,000.

Among Canadians aged 55 and older, unemployment fell 22,000 (-5.9%).

Unemployment for the core-aged population aged 25 to 54 was little changed.

The labour underutilization rate declined 1.2 percentage points to 14.4%.

July employment gains concentrated in the services-producing sector

Employment rose by 35,000 in accommodation and food services.

Employment was virtually unchanged in information, culture and recreation, and in retail trade.

Following losses in May and June, the number of people who worked in goods-producing industries was little changed in July.

The number of people who worked in the manufacturing industry in Ontario increased by 26,000, which fully erased the employment losses recorded in the spring.

Local Top Line

• July Unemployment Rate: Brantford 6.1% [-] Ontario 8.0% [-] Canada 7.5% [-]
• The local unemployment rate decreased by 0.4 month over month.
• The local labour force contracted by 100 month over month.
• The number of employed increased by 200 month over month.
• The number of unemployed decreased by 300 month over month.
• When compared to the surrounding CMAs of Hamilton, Niagara, Waterloo, Guelph, and London, Brantford’s unemployment rate is 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