The Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region has the lowest unemployment rate in the province after seeing an increase 0.4 per cent in December.
The Four County Labour Market Planning Board says unemployment rate, which includes Grey Bruce, now sits at 3.6 per cent. The provincial unemployment rate remains unchanged at 6.8 per cent.
The board says the region’s overall population size last month increased by 400 and the labour force also grew by 700, bringing it to 170,000. The growth also brought the participation rate up by 0.1 per cent, now at 61 per cent.
This was met by 3,400 full-time losses and 3,500 part-time gains.
The number of goods-producing sector employees further decreased by 2.8 per cent last month, and the largest percentage loss was in agriculture at 12 per cent.
Employment in the services-producing sector, meanwhile, saw an increase of 1.9 per cent and the biggest percentage gain at 15.7 per cent came from information, culture and recreation.
Executive Director of the Four County Labour Market Planning Board Dana Soucie says the slight increase is showing some positive signs.
“However, we have moved into the lowest rate in Ontario and are still seeing pockets of in demand occupations going unfilled in certain areas and sectors of the region,” says Soucie.
Current job postings from Bruce, Grey, Huron, and Perth counties can be found on the connect2JOBS website here.