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May 05, 2017LABOUR MARKET TRENDS - APRIL 2017 LABOUR MARKET TRENDS - April 2017
Nova Scotia's seasonally adjusted employment decreased by 500 to 450,000 in April 2017. This follows strong growth in March coming off a decline in February.
Compared to March, Nova Scotia’s labour force decreased by 2,400 to 490,800 in April. With labour supply falling at a faster pace than the labour demand, the net result was a 0.3 percentage point decrease in the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate to 8.3 per cent in April. With the decrease in the labour supply and growth in the working age population (+400) the participation rate declined 0.4 percentage points to 62.0 per cent for the month. With fewer jobs, April’s employment rate decreased to 56.9 per cent.
In April, the decline in employment reflects a decrease in part-time employment (2,300) overriding the increase in full-time employment (1,800).
During the first four months of 2017 compared to the first four months of 2016, there was an increase of 3,800 (0.9 per cent) in the average employment level. Average full time employment was down 2,500 while there were 6,400 more part-time workers. The labour force was up 1,100 for the first four months of 2017. With labour demand increasing at a faster pace than the labour supply, the net result was a decline in the average unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points to 8.2 per cent. The labour force participation rate decreased 0.1 percentage points to 62.0 per cent. The employment rate increased by 0.3 percentage points to 56.9 per cent.
AGE COHORTS (January-April 2017 vs. January-April 2016)
The labour force survey population estimate of the 15-24-year age group declined by 1,500 comparing the first four months of 2017 to the first four months of 2016. The age group saw a decline of 3,600 in the labour force and 3,000 in employment during this period as the number of unemployed decreased. The unemployment rate decreased 0.1 percentage points to 14.9 per cent for the first four months of 2017 over the same period in 2016. The larger decline in employment compared to the decline in population led to a 2.0 percentage point decline in the employment rate to 53.5 per cent.
For Nova Scotians aged 25 to 54, the labour force declined by 200 while employment increased 2,700 in the first four months of 2017 compared to the first four months of 2016. With strong growth in labour demand and falling labour supply, the net result was a 1.0 percentage points decline in the unemployment to 6.7 per cent. The labour force participation rate increased 0.7 percentage points to 86.3 per cent and the employment rate rose 1.5 percentage points to 80.5 per cent for this age group.
For those Nova Scotians aged 55 and over, the population, labour force and employment have all increased comparing the first four months of 2017 to the first four months of 2016. Employment increased by 4,100, slower than the rise in the labour force of 5,000, resulting in an increase in unemployment of 900 and an increase the unemployment rate of 0.5 percentage points to 8.0 per cent. The participation rate and employment rate both increased for this age group, rising to 35.0 per cent and 32.2 per cent respectively.
SECTORS (January-April 2017 vs. January-April 2016)
Comparing the first four months of 2017 to the first four months of 2016, employment in goods-producing sectors decreased by 900 jobs. Employment gains in agriculture, utilities and construction were not enough to offset a loss of 1,900 net jobs in the manufacturing sector.
There was a net gain of 4,600 jobs in service-producing sectors. Strong employment gains in wholesale/retail trade, health, professional services, and public administration were enough to override the job losses in financial services, educational services, accommodation/food services and transportation and warehousing.
The increase in employment for the first four months of 2017 over the same period in 2016 occurred with employees increasing by 3,500 and the self-employed increasing by 300. The gain in employees occurred with a gain of 2,000 jobs in public sector and a gain of 1,500 in the private sector.
Regions (3 month moving average, January-April 2017 vs. January-April 2016)
For the first four months of 2017 compared to the first four months of 2016, the Halifax, Cape Breton and North Shore regions reported employment growth that outpaced labour force growth, resulting in lower average unemployment rates. The Annapolis Valley economic region unemployment rate increased due to a simliar decline in both labour demand and labour supply. The Southern region saw the unemployment rate fall as the labour force (labour supply) declined at a faster pace than labour demand.
The Cape Breton region reported an increase in employment of 2,200 (5.0 per cent) for the first four months of 2017 over the first four months of 2016. The labour force increased by 600 (1.2 per cent) for the same period. With labour demand increasing at a faster pace than labour supply, the result was a 3.1 percentage point decrease in the unemployment rate to 15.3 per cent.
For the North Shore region, employment increased 1,400 (2.1 per cent) for the first four months of 2017 over the same period in 2016. Labour supply increased by 1,000 (1.3 per cent) for the same period. The increase in labour demand resulted in a 0.7 percentage point decline in the unemployment rate to 9.1 per cent.
The Annapolis region experienced a decline of 600 for both employment and the labour force for the first four months of 2017 over the same period in 2016. The net result was an increase of 0.1 percentage points in the average unemployment rate to 8.8 per cent.
The Southern region saw employment fall by 300 (-0.5 per cent) and the labour force had a decline of 400 (-0.7 per cent) for the first four months of 2017 over the first four months of 2016. The unemployment rate was down 0.2 percentage points to 10.9 per cent.
Comparing the first four months of 2017 to the first months of 2016, Halifax (HRM) experienced an increase in employment of 500 (0.2 per cent) along with a decline of 500 (-0.2 per cent) in the labour supply. With labour market demand increasing at a faster pace than labour supply, the net impact was 0.5 percentage point decrease in the unemployment rate to 6.7 per cent.
Provincial Comparisons
Employment increased 1.5 per cent in Canada comparing January-April 2017 with January-April 2016. Employment grew on a year-to-date basis in nine provinces with the largest gains in British Columbia (+3.5%), Quebec (+2.2%) and Prince Edward Island (+2.1%). Employment in Newfoundland and Labrador (-2.6%) declined over the first four months of 2017 compared to 2016.
The Nova Scotia unemployment rate was 8.3 per cent in April 2017. In April of last year, the Nova Scotia unemployment rate was 8.2 per cent. Seven provinces have lower unemployment rates compared to last year with Prince Edward Island (-1.2 percentage points) having the steepest decline. The unemployment rate was higher in Newfoundland and Labrador (+1.5 percentage points), Alberta (+0.5 percentage points) and Nova Scotia (+0.1 percentage points) compared to April 2016. The lowest unemployment rate among the provinces in April 2017 was in Manitoba at 5.4 per cent while the highest was in Newfoundland and Labrador at 14.0 per cent.
National Comparisons: Cities
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the Halifax Census Metropolitan Area was 6.8 per cent. Victoria (3.7%) had the lowest unemployment rate for a CMA this month while the highest was in Calgary (9.3%)
The seasonally adjusted employment rate for the Halifax Census Metropolitan Area was lower than last month at 62.7 per cent in April 2017.
The three month average employment ending in April for the Halifax CMA declined 0.2 per cent compared to the three month period ending in March. The largest gain among CMAs was in Barrie, Ontario were employment rose 2.9 per cent.
Note: Seasonally adjusted, 3 month average.
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