Jobless numbers see a big jump in Brantford-Brant in August

BRANTFORD (Sept. 6, 2024) – Unemployment spiked in Brantford-Brant in August, reaching its highest level since late 2021

The local jobless rate jumped a full percentage point to 7% last month, according to Statistic Canada’s seasonally adjusted estimates, which are based on a monthly survey of area households. Brantford’s unemployment rate is now similar to Ontario’s average, which was 7.1% in August, and above Canada’s 6 6% figure The local rate is similar to that seen in Kitchener-CambridgeWaterloo (7.1%), lower than St. Catharines-Niagara (7 5%), but higher than Hamilton (6 7%)

It is the first time Brantford-Brant’s jobless rate has touched 7% since November 2021, when it was 7.5%, and there were still some public health restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The size of August’s rate jump is surprising, disappointing and, most of all, sadly it means more people are struggling in our community,” said Danette Dalton, executive director of the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie. “Unfortunately, the recent trend we’ve seen of fewer people working and fewer employers hiring is continuing.”

Statistics Canada estimated that 2,200 fewer people were employed in the Brantford area last month, but only 700 of those became unemployed. The other 1,500 people are just not in the labour market anymore.

The most noticeable change has been a large drop in the number of men, ages 24 to 54 – the age range that is considered the key workforce – working full time

Dalton is encouraging employers to share information on what issues are affecting them, and holding them back from hiring, by completing the planning board’s EmployerOne survey: www.workforceplanningboard.org/employeronesurvey

“The EmployerOne survey isn’t about us being nosy. The information provides a real-life picture of business challenges and workforce-related issues and this can tell us more about the local labour market than Statistics Canada data can,” Dalton said. The Grand Erie Jobs online job board, operated by the planning board, shows that local job openings are still being advertised, with August’s number of 2,000 new postings being similar to July. However, it’s not known how many of those positions were filled

Click on the image above to take the Employer One Survey about hiring, layoffs, skills needs, training and many workforce-related challenges.