In the Annapolis Valley, jobs in the manufacturing sector were noticeably high in August and September.
MEDIA RELEASE: October 12, 2016
Employment growth in the Annapolis Valley outpaced Halifax in the first nine months of 2016 compared with the same period last year, according to a new report on labour market trends.
The report, based on monthly data from Statistics Canada, was released by the province on October 7.
The Annapolis Valley region gained 2,000 jobs in the period of comparison – a rise of 3.7 per cent.
In the Halifax region, employment edged up by 1,600 (0.7 per cent) in the same period of comparison and declined in all other economic regions of Nova Scotia.
Year-to-date employment growth in the Annapolis Valley also outpaced growth in the region’s labour force, reducing the average unemployment rate for Jan-Sep 2016 compared with Jan-Sep 2015. The labour force grew by 2,000 (a rise of 3.4 per cent), pushing the average unemployment rate down slightly (by 0.4 percentage points) to 8.5 per cent.
For the province as a whole, average employment fell by 2,000 (-0.5 per cent) in the first three quarters of 2016 compared with the same period of 2015.
In the Annapolis Valley, jobs in the manufacturing sector were noticeably high in August and September. In each of these months, more than 6,000 people were employed by manufacturers in the region – levels last seen in 2013 (see footnote 1).
Since the beginning of 2016, the Valley region has seen average year-to-date employment continue to rise above 2015 levels as the local labour market rebounds from job losses last year.
“Even though employment levels can change from month to month, the Valley Regional Enterprise Network is pleased with this good news for employees and employers in our region,” said Kelly Ells, the chief executive officer at the Valley REN.
“At the Valley REN, we know the region’s loyal, stable and productive workforce is one of our best assets,” said Ells. “The Valley REN is collaborating with a team of service providers to develop the workforce as part of our strategic plan to grow the regional economy and retain youth and students.”
There are five Regional Enterprise Networks (RENs) across Nova Scotia, serving the Valley, Western, South Shore, Eastern Strait and Cape Breton regions. They are funded by municipalities and First Nations partners and the Province.
Their job is to grow the economy outside of Halifax and create the conditions for business growth, by tackling issues on the Ivany agenda.
Footnote 1. Statistics Canada. CANSIM Table 282-0124.
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