Brantford-Brant employment rate reaches one-year high

BRANTFORD (June 7, 2024) –

The Brantford-Brant employment rate reached a one-year high in May, while the jobless rate continues to hover around 5%.

May’s local unemployment rate was 4 9%, the same as from January to March, and just below April’s 5%, new seasonally adjusted numbers released by Statistics Canada show

At the same time, the local employment rate – the percentage of the population 15 years and older who are working – reached 64.8%, the highest since May 2023

Ontario added 50,000 jobs in May – the most in Canada - and the provincial jobless rate dipped to 6 7% Employment grew by 27,000 in total in Canada last month but the unemployment rate inched up to 6 2%

The overall size of BrantfordBrant’s labour force has grown by 1,900 since May 2023, with 1,100 of those people finding work, while the other 800 have not

“Those numbers are a reminder that even with Brantford having one of the lowest unemployment rates in Ontario, there are local residents who need supports and help finding jobs,” said Danette Dalton, executive director of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie.

“There are a lot of great local organizations working to help people find jobs and to boost their skills.”

Dalton said residents can turn to different types of supports, including: government-funded employment centres, literacy and basic skills services, organizations that help residents with special needs or newcomers, and free job training programs such as the planning board’s new Skills2Advance Try a Trade

“These organizations also work with local employers to help them find the workers they need,” she said “Neither job seekers nor businesses should shy away from reaching out to ask for help.”

There were more than 2,150 new jobs posts – a 13% increase – in May on Grand Erie Jobs, the online job website operated by the planning board. There was also a 19% increase in active jobs posts, with 4,250, while 11% more companies advertised jobs compared toApril.