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Northeastern British Columbia
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INTRODUCTION


UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

NORTHEASTERN BC UNEMPLOYMENT RATES
  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2005 4.9 4.4 4.9 4.1 5.6 5.2 4.9 4.2 4.3 4.4 -- --
2006 -- -- -- -- -- 4.4 -- -- 4.2 5.2 4.9 --
2007 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
2008 -- -- -- 4.3 5.0 5.9 6.2 6.3 5.8 5.0 4.5 3.6
2009 4.6 4.6 6.5 6.5 8.4 7.7 7.9 8.3 7.9 7.2 5.5 5.4
2010 4.9 4.4 4.6 5.3 6.9 7.5 7.2 6.7 7.6 7.6 6.4 7.1
2011 9.0 9.1 8.1 5.4 5.1 4.0 4.4 4.2 4.3 4.3 -- --
2012                        

In December 2011 the unemployment rate in BC is 6.4% and 4.7% in Alberta. In December 2010 the unemployment rate in BC was 7.0% and 5.5% in Alberta.

-- The unemployment rate for Northeastern BC has been suppressed due to high sample variance.


Labour Force

British Columbia’s jobless rate climbed 0.4 percentage points (seasonally adjusted) to 7.0% in November. The increase in the jobless rate resulted from persons entering the labour market (+4,400, or +0.2%), mostly older workers (aged 55 and up), in tandem with an overall employment loss (-6,600, or -0.3%). Job losses were concentrated in part-time employment (-1.5%), as full-time employment was up slightly (+0.1%) over October. Data Source: Statistics Canada

Among BC’s regions, Northeast (3.4%, 3-month moving average, unadjusted) continued to have the lowest unemployment rate in the province, while the jobless rate was highest in North Coast & Nechako (7.7%). Kootenay made noteworthy gains in November as its unemployment rate dropped from 7.2% to 6.4%. Data Source: Statistics Canada

BC Stats Infoline Issue 11-48 December 2, 2011


Weekly Wages

The average weekly wage in British Columbia was $847.57 in November, comparable to the national average of $851.35. BC’s average weekly wage rate was the fifth highest in Canada, after Alberta ($991.79), Ontario ($871.98), Saskatchewan ($879.50) and Newfoundland & Labrador ($868.33). The average hourly wage in the province was $23.43 in November. Hourly wages in the province remain slightly ahead of the national level ($23.38), but marginally lower than Alberta ($26.16), Ontario ($23.93) and Saskatchewan ($23.47). Data Source: Statistics Canada

BC Stats Infoline Issue 11-48 December 2, 2011


Employment Insurance

The number of British Columbians receiving regular employment insurance (EI) benefits dropped (-1.3%, seasonally adjusted) to 58,490 in October. All but one province saw a decline in EI beneficiaries, resulting in a 1.0% decrease at the national level. Data Source: Statistics Canada

BC Stats Infoline Issue 11-50 December 16, 2011


Paid and unpaid work over three generations

By Katherine Marshall

The study examines the profile and the time spent on paid and unpaid work for young adults from three generations—late baby boomers (born from 1957 to 1966) when they were age 20 to 29 in 1986, Generation X (1969 to 1978) which was in that age group in 1998, and Generation Y (1981 to 1990) which reached it in 2010.

Young adults from Generation Y were more likely to be single (67%), living at home (51%), and going to school (19%) compared with their counterparts in the two previous generations.

Time spent on employment and housework was also most alike for young men and women of Generation Y. At ages 20 to 29, late baby boom men did, on average, 1.4 hours more paid work per day than women. In Generation Y, this difference had narrowed to 1.1 hours.

When late baby boomer women were age 20 to 29, they did 1.2 hours more housework per day than men. By the time Generation Y was the same age, the difference had narrowed to 0.4 hours.

Average daily time spent on paid work and housework by men and women in young dual-earner couples is more alike for those without children and particularly so for Generation Y.

Statistics Canada, Perspectives on Labour and Income, http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-001-x/2012001/article/11612/11612hl-fs-eng.htm


Labour Force Information

November 2011

Following a notable decrease the previous month, employment edged down 19,000 in November, and the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage points to 7.4%. Despite the recent declines, employment was up 1.2% (+212,000) from 12 months earlier.

A decline of 53,000 in part-time work was partially offset by an increase of 35,000 in full-time. Compared with a year earlier, the number of part-time workers was down 1.9% (-62,000), while full-time employment grew by 2.0% (+274,000). Over the same period, the total number of hours worked increased at the same rate as total employment (+1.2%).

Employment declined in Quebec and Saskatchewan in November, while it increased in Nova Scotia. There was little change in the other provinces.

In November, there were employment losses in retail and wholesale trade, as well as business, building and other support services. These losses were partially offset by increases in "other services" (such as personal services and repair and maintenance), as well as in construction; natural resources; and utilities.

There were fewer self-employed workers in November (-28,000). Compared with a year earlier, most of the employment growth was among private sector employees (+1.9%), as employment was little changed among public sector employees (+0.4%) and the self-employed (-0.3%).

Employment declined among core-aged men and youths, while there were gains among women aged 55 and over.

Losses in services partly offset by increases in goods sector

Employment in the service sector declined in November, with decreases in retail and wholesale trade (-34,000) as well as in business, building and other support services (-29,000). At the same time, there were employment gains of 36,000 in "other services" such as personal services and repair and maintenance.

Despite the decline in November, employment in the service sector rose by 1.3% over the past 12 months, with steady increases in accommodation and food services (+6.5%) as well as professional, scientific and technical services (+5.1%).

In November, there were more workers in the goods sector, with gains in construction (+20,000); natural resources (+10,000); and utilities (+8,000).

In the 12 months to November, employment in the goods sector increased 0.8%. Over the period, there was notable growth in natural resources (+8.3%) and construction (+2.2%). In manufacturing, employment was slightly below its level of 12 months earlier (-0.8%).

Employment declines in Quebec and Saskatchewan

Employment in Quebec fell by 31,000 in November, pushing the unemployment rate up 0.3 percentage points to 8.0%. The bulk of the decline was in wholesale and retail trade. This month's decrease leaves employment in the province at about the same level as November 2010.

The only other province with a notable employment decrease in November was Saskatchewan (-4,200). This pushed the unemployment rate in the province up by a full percentage point to 5.1%. With this month's decline, employment in Saskatchewan was similar to its level one year earlier.

In November, employment increased by 4,400 in Nova Scotia. Despite this increase, the unemployment rate in the province was unchanged at 8.6%, as more people were participating in the labour market.

Following a large decline in October, employment in Ontario edged up by 17,000 in November. At the same time, the unemployment rate declined 0.2 percentage points to 7.9%. Over the past 12 months, employment in the province has grown by 1.5% (+97,000), slightly higher than the national average of 1.2%.

Employment in Alberta edged up in November, and the unemployment rate was 5.0%. Compared with November 2010, employment grew faster in Alberta than in any other province, at 4.8%.

Employment declines among core-aged men and youths

In November, employment declined by 20,000 among core-aged men (25 to 54), leaving employment for this group slightly above its level of 12 months earlier (+0.5%). Among core-aged women, while little changed in November, employment grew 1.3% over the past 12 months.

Employment also fell in November among youths aged 15 to 24 (-18,000). Compared with one year earlier, however, youth employment was up 1.3%.

There were more women aged 55 and over working in November (+20,000), bringing total growth for this group to 2.1% over the past 12 months. For men in the same age group, despite little change in November, employment increased by 2.9% over the past 12 months.

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/subjects-sujets/labour-travail/lfs-epa/lfs-epa-eng.htm


Payroll employment, earnings and hours

October 2011

In October, average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees increased 1.4% to $885.36 from the previous month. On a year-over-year basis, average weekly earnings rose 2.7%.

Increases in average weekly earnings reflect a number of factors, such as wage growth and changes in the composition of employment by industry, by occupation and by level of job experience.

Average hours worked per week can also influence growth in year-over-year earnings. However, the average work week was unchanged from October 2010 at 33.0 hours.

Average weekly earnings by sector

The monthly increase in average weekly earnings was highest in finance and insurance; education; real estate and rental leasing; utilities; mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction; and manufacturing.

Year-over-year growth in average weekly earnings exceeded the national average of 2.7% in four of Canada's largest industrial sectors: administrative and support services; professional, scientific and technical services; health care and social assistance; and education.

In administration and support services, average weekly earnings rose 6.8% to $747.82. Year-over-year growth was widespread across the industries in this sector.

In the 12 months to October, average weekly earnings in professional, scientific and technical services were up 3.6% to $1,236.53. Increases were particularly pronounced in management, scientific and technical consulting, and in architectural, engineering and related services.

Average weekly earnings in health care and social assistance increased 3.4% to $819.15. Growth in this sector was most notable in hospitals.

Growth in earnings also surpassed the national average in some smaller sectors. From October 2010 to October 2011, earnings increased in the two highest paying industries. In utilities, earnings increased 9.3% to $1,691.32, while earnings for employees in mining, quarrying, oil and gas extraction rose 4.7% to $1,800.70.

Average weekly earnings up in every province

Average weekly earnings rose in every province in the 12 months to October, led by growth in Newfoundland and Labrador and Alberta. The lowest rate of growth was in Nova Scotia.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, average weekly earnings were $901.83 in October, up 7.7% from the same month a year earlier. Earnings in this province have grown at a higher rate than the national average since December 2010.

In Alberta, average weekly earnings increased 4.5% over the 12 months to $1,049.31 in October, and remained the highest level of earnings among the provinces.

The lowest year-over-year growth occurred in Nova Scotia (+0.4%), where the average weekly earnings were $770.25 in October.

Non-farm payroll employment by sector

From September to October, non-farm payroll employment declined by 24,500. On a year-over-year basis, the number of employees rose 228,900 (+1.5%).

The monthly decrease in payroll employment in October occurred in both goods and services, with the largest declines in public administration, manufacturing, and retail trade.

Declines within both public administration and manufacturing were widespread. In retail trade, most of the monthly job losses were in building material and garden equipment stores, gasoline stations and clothing stores.

Payroll employment in mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction was little changed in October. However, the sector posted the fastest year-over-year growth in payroll employment (+8.7% or +16,700) of all sectors. Growth in this sector was driven by gains in support activities for mining and oil and gas extraction, as well as metal ore mining.

The utilities sector also showed strong year-over-year job growth (+5.9% or +6,900). Most of the increase came from electric power generation, transmission and distribution.

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/111222/dq111222a-eng.htm