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INTRODUCTION
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
|
NORTHEASTERN BC UNEMPLOYMENT RATES |
|
|
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
2004 |
4.4 |
4.2 |
4.6 |
5.0 |
6.3 |
8.3 |
9.0 |
8.0 |
6.3 |
4.7 |
-- |
-- |
|
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 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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In January 2010 the unemployment rate in BC
is 8.0% and 6.8% in Alberta. In January 2009 the unemployment rate in BC
was 5.5% and 4.2% in Alberta.
-- The unemployment rate for Northeastern
BC has been suppressed due to high sample variance.
Labour Force
Jobless rates at the regional level (3-month moving
average, unadjusted) ranged from a low of 4.9% in
Northeast to a high of 12.0% in Cariboo in
January. Nearly all regions of
the province registered lower employment levels compared to the same
month last year with the largest setbacks in North Coast/Nechako (–8.6%)
and Cariboo (–8.0%).
Only Thompson/Okanagan (+3.2%) and Mainland/Southwest
(+0.2%) posted employment gains. The unemployment rate in Vancouver
(8.0%) came in just under the provincial rate while Victoria’s was
significantly lower (6.8%).
Data Source: Statistics
Canada
BC Stats
Infoline
Issue: 10-05 February
5, 2010
BC Wage & Salary Website
Additional information about the survey can be found on
the BC Wage & Salary website:
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/data/lss/labour/wage
This website allows users to generate reports for
specific occupations by region. Users can search for occupations
alphabetically, by keyword, by occupation code (NOC), by salary range,
or by region.
The website also includes: a complete listing of
occupation and region-specific data availability; additional analysis
documents; the survey methodology report; and links to other useful
websites.
In total, the survey provides information on 121
occupations. By aggregating regional results, BC Stats has provincial
estimates of full-time wages, hours of work, hiring difficulties, and
vacancies for 97 occupations. This article highlights the provincial
results for these 97 jobs.
The most highly paid occupations required significant
education or experience
| Occupation |
Most frequent fulltime wage |
| University Professors
|
$68.99 |
| Senior Managers - Financial,
Communications and Other Business Services |
$57.54* |
| Financial Managers |
$38.86 |
| Civil Engineers |
$37.46 |
| Registered Nurses |
$36.59 |
| Insurance, Real Estate and
Financial Brokerage Managers |
$35.80 |
| Sales, Marketing and
Advertising Managers |
$35.67 |
| Senior Managers - Goods
Production, Utilities, Transportation and Construction |
$35.48 |
| Software Engineers and
Designers |
$35.02 |
| Professional Occupations in
Business Services to Management |
$34.61 |
*Data
should be interpreted with caution.
Source: BC Stats & Statistics Canada, 2009 BC Wage & Salary
Survey
In contrast, the ten lowest paid occupations surveyed
typically required minimal skills or experience, most requiring only a
high school education or on-the-job training. Cooks and bakers stood out
as the lowest-paying occupations where employees may require college
education.
The lowest paid
occupations typically required minimal skills or experience
| Occupation |
Most frequent
fulltime wage |
| Food and
Beverage Servers |
$10.15 |
| Sewing Machine
Operators |
$10.58 |
| Food Counter
Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Occupations |
$10.87 |
| Nursery and
Greenhouse Workers |
$11.20 |
| Cashiers
|
$11.51 |
| Security Guards
and Related Occupations |
$12.11 |
| Grocery Clerks
and Store Shelf Stockers |
$12.65 |
| General Farm
Workers |
$12.93 |
| Cooks |
$13.19 |
| Bakers
|
$13.30 |
Source: BC Stats & Statistics Canada, 2009
BC Wage & Salary Survey
Hours of work
In the survey, full-time employment was defined as
persons working 30 hours or more per week. In the majority of
occupations surveyed, full-time employees worked, on average, 40 or
fewer hours per week. There were some exceptions, however, particularly
among management occupations and occupations specific to the primary
industry. The two occupations in which employees worked the longest
hours were both in the forestry industry: logging machinery operators
(51 hours per week) and logging and forestry labourers (46 hours.
Full-time logging machinery operators worked more
than 50 hours per week
| Occupation |
Average fulltime hours |
| Logging Machinery Operators |
50.5 |
| Logging and Forestry
Labourers |
46.1 |
| Senior Managers - Goods
Production, Utilities, Transportation and Construction |
45.5 |
| Visiting Homemakers,
Housekeepers and Related Occupations |
44.9 |
| Nursery and Greenhouse
Workers |
44.6 |
| Accommodation Service
Managers |
44.2 |
| Farmers and Farm Managers |
43.9 |
| Construction Managers |
43.8 |
| Heavy Equipment Operators
(Except Crane) |
43.3 |
| Truck Drivers |
43.1 |
Source: BC Stats & Statistics Canada, 2009 BC Wage & Salary
Survey
BC Stats Infoline
Issue: 10-06 February
12th, 2010
Labour Force Information
January 2010
Employment increased by 43,000 in
January, all in part time, pushing the unemployment rate
down 0.1 percentage points to 8.3%. January marks the fourth employment
gain in six months.
Despite the recent increases, employment
still remains 280,000 below the level of October 2008.
Employment gains in January were driven
by women aged 25 to 54 and youths. This was the first notable increase
for youths since the start of the employment downturn in the fall
of 2008.
There were large increases in part-time
employment in January, bringing it back to the level of six months
earlier. Full-time employment was little changed in January, but has
trended up over the last six months.
January's increase was among private
sector employees, while self-employment declined. Over the last six
months, the number of private and public sector employees has been
rising while self-employment has been little changed.
The largest employment increases in
January occurred in business, building and other support services, and
retail and wholesale trade. These were partially offset by losses in
professional, scientific, and technical services, as well as
agriculture.
Ontario accounted for more than half of
the employment gains in January, followed by British Columbia and
Manitoba. Employment declined in Nova Scotia while it was unchanged in
all other provinces.
Employment gains among
core-aged women and youths
The increase in employment in January
affected mainly women aged 25 to 54 and youths. Employment for youths
increased 29,000, pushing the unemployment rate down from 16.0%
to 15.1%. This was the first notable employment increase for youths
since the start of the downturn in the fall of 2008.
Women aged 25 to 54 also recorded
employment growth in January (+32,000), and their unemployment rate
was 6.3%. In recent months, employment levels among core-aged women have
been on a slight upward trend. For core-aged men, the unemployment rate
was 7.9% in January and employment has been flat since July.
Among workers 55 and over, employment was
unchanged in January. Since the start of the labour market downturn,
employment for that group has risen by 4.4%.
Gains in business,
building and other support services
There was an increase of 34,000 in
business, building and other support services in January, offsetting the
decline in December. Despite January's increase, the industry has been
on a downward trend since the summer of 2009.
Employment in wholesale and retail trade
was up 23,000 in January, the third consecutive monthly increase.
Following two months of gains, employment
in professional, scientific and technical services fell by 22,000 in
January.
Manufacturing edged down in January.
While employment in this industry has been little changed since
July 2009, it remains 223,000 below the level observed in October 2008.
Despite little change over the past three
months, employment in construction has increased by 56,000 since last
July.
Gains in Ontario,
British Columbia and Manitoba
Employment in Ontario was up by 30,000 in
January. The unemployment rate was unchanged at 9.2% as more people
participated in the labour market. Since July, employment in the
province has been on a slight upward trend (+51,000).
Employment in British Columbia increased
by 12,000 in January, continuing on the upward trend that began in
July 2009 (+32,000). The unemployment rate in January edged
down 0.2 percentage points to 8.1%.
Following a large loss in December,
employment in Manitoba increased by 8,000. The unemployment rate
declined 0.4 percentage points to 5.4%.
While employment in Quebec was unchanged
in January, the unemployment rate dropped 0.4 percentage points to 8.0%,
the result of fewer people participating in the labour market. Since
July 2009, employment in the province has been on a slight upward trend
(+41,000).
Employment fell by 5,000 in Nova Scotia,
the only province to experience a notable decline in January. This
pushed the unemployment rate up 0.2 percentage points to 9.8%.
Statistics
Canada
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/100205/dq100205a-eng.htm
Economic Activity
B.C.’s mining sector is poised for growth after 2010
with the rebound in copper, gold, and coal prices and demand in the
Asian economy. A handful of major new projects are expected to begin
construction and in some cases start production before 2014. Project
risk is always high since any number of factors can derail the plans,
but the geological potential is there and new projects can become viable
under the right market conditions and with the proper infrastructure in
place, such as the Northwest energy transmission line. Mining GDP fell
into a deep valley in 2009 and is forecast to return to an average level
by 2014.
Oil and gas mining will also undergo a cyclical revival,
though of a lesser magnitude than forestry and mining. The major new
development in the natural gas industry is the surge in shale gas
production, due to hydraulic fracturing along with horizontal drilling.
Shale gas has been produced for decades in North America but modern
techniques have significantly increased its scale and commercial
viability. This unconventional supply has altered the natural gas
market, reducing prices and price expectations. In Northeastern
B.C., the Horn River and Montney areas are keenly sought out by
exploration and development companies. Oil and gas real GDP is forecast
to expand by 18% between 2009 and 2014, reaching new highs each year.
Central 1 Credit Union Economics: Weekly Briefing
volume 16 . number 03 . January 22, 2010 . ISSN
1918-3535
Employer top-ups
In 2008, among
mothers with paid jobs who received federal (EI) or Quebec (QPIP)
maternity and parental leave benefits after birth, 20% reported
collecting employer ‘top-up’ payments.
Top-up payments
averaged $300 per week and lasted an average of 19 weeks—suggesting
that most employer plans cover only the maternity leave portion of
public benefits.
Public sector
employees were significantly more likely to receive a top-up and for
a longer average period of time (48% and 22 weeks) than those in the
private sector (8% and 12 weeks).
Working for a
company with a staff of over 500, being employed in Quebec and
having an hourly wage of $20 or more were also associated with the
receipt of employer top-ups.
Almost all
mothers (96%) with top-up benefits returned or planned to return to
their same employers within 18 months of birth, compared with 77% of
mothers with EI/QPIP benefits only and 46% of mothers with no
benefits.
Statistics
Canada, Perspectives on Labour & Income
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-001-x/75-001-x2010102-eng.pdf
Immigrants working
in regulated occupations
Immigrants who
studied for work in a regulated occupation outside Canada were less
likely to be working in that occupation in 2006 than either
immigrants who had studied in Canada, or those who were born in
Canada.
In 2006, 24% of
foreign-educated immigrants with fields of study that would normally
lead to work in a regulated occupation were working in the
associated profession. This compares to a 62% match rate among the
Canadian-born.
While
foreign-educated immigrants were less likely to work in the
regulated occupations for which they studied, this discrepancy
narrowed with time spent in Canada. However, this discrepancy was
still evident after immigrants had been in Canada for more than 10
years.
The match rate of
immigrants into regulated occupations varied by field of study.
Immigrants with fields of study in health professions had higher
match rates than those who studied to be teachers, engineers and
lawyers.
Among immigrants
who were not working in the regulated occupation for which they
studied, many had higher levels of education than normally required
for the jobs they held in 2006. More than 1 in 10 worked in jobs
that normally require no formal schooling.
Statistics
Canada, Perspectives on Labour & Income
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-001-x/75-001-x2010102-eng.pdf
Payroll employment,
earnings and hours
December 2009 (preliminary)
Non-farm payroll employment increased by 22,000 in
December compared with the previous month. This represented the fourth
consecutive month of modest gains.
Payroll employment has been on an upward trend since
August 2009, in contrast to the previous 10 months when it had declined
sharply. Despite recent gains, payroll employment remained
down 380,000 from the peak in October 2008.
Job gains in December were spread across a number of
goods and service industries. Overall, 61% of industries had some gains
in the month, the highest share since October 2007. There were only two
sectors in which the majority of industries had job declines in
December: transportation and warehousing, and public administration.
Shifting trend in employment since
August
Since August, a number of industries have increased
payroll employment. The construction sector has increased
by 19,300 (+2.4%) over this 4-month period. During the first 10 months
of the economic downturn, it had shed 61,200 jobs.
Other industries with ties to construction have either
had modest job growth or smaller declines in recent months, after large
decreases from October 2008 to August 2009. These include building
material and supplies dealers; household and institutional furniture and
kitchen cabinet manufacturing; building material and supplies
wholesaler-distributors; and architectural, engineering and related
services.
Depository credit intermediation, which includes banks
and credit unions, has also been on an upward trend in recent months,
with average monthly gains of 2,500 jobs since August 2009.
Employment services, which include placement agencies,
temporary services and human resource management services, have also
increased since August 2009. From October 2008 to August 2009, payroll
employment in this industry had declined sharply, but since then it has
increased by an average of 500 jobs per month.
Employment up in health, public
administration and education since October 2008
While many industries had overall job declines from
October 2008 to December 2009, almost all industries within health care,
public administration and educational services saw their payroll
employment increase over the period.
From October 2008 to August 2009, health care
employment grew by 2.3%; from August to December, it grew by 3.0%. While
educational services was on a flat trend from October to August, it grew
by 2.2% from August to December. Meanwhile, public administration grew
by 2.7% over the first 10 months and by 0.8% over the past 4 months.
Within the health care sector, one example of this
upward trend over the 14-month period is the ambulatory (out-patient)
health care services sub-sector. This sub-sector, which employs
over 400,000 people, consists of offices of health care practitioners;
out-patient care centres; medical and diagnostic laboratories; home
health care services; and other ambulatory care services such as
ambulance and blood donor services.
From August to December 2009, ambulatory health care
services grew by 2.2%, with the same or a higher rate of job growth as
that of educational services (+2.2%); federal public administration
(+1.3%); local, municipal and regional public administration (+0.3%);
provincial and territorial public administration (-0.1%) and hospitals
(-0.1%).
Slower declines in manufacturing
since August
Since August, the pace of job losses in manufacturing
has slowed considerably to 2,100 per month on average. However, between
October 2008, when overall employment peaked, and August 2009,
manufacturing had shed over 19,400 jobs a month on average.
Manufacturing industries that were still experiencing
job losses, but at a much slower pace since August, include plastic
products; architectural and structural metals; other wood product
manufacturing; and sawmills and wood preservation.
At the same time, a few manufacturing industries that
had shed jobs from October to August have seen recent gains, including
motor vehicle parts; motor vehicle assembly; communications equipment
manufacturing; veneer, plywood and engineered wood product
manufacturing; and machine shops, turned product, and screw, nut and
bolt manufacturing.
Fastest pace in year-over-year
average weekly earnings growth since October 2008
Average weekly earnings, including overtime, of
payroll employees rose to $837.08 in December, up 2.8% from
December 2008. This was the fastest year-over-year growth in average
weekly earnings since the peak in employment in October 2008.
Among Canada's largest industrial sectors, average
weekly earnings increased between December 2008 and December 2009 in
health care and social assistance (+5.6%); accommodation and food
services (+4.8%); public administration (+3.8%); retail trade (+3.8%);
educational services (+3.3%); and manufacturing (+2.7%).
Over the same period, average weekly earnings
declined 0.7% in construction.
All provinces reported growth in average weekly
earnings in December compared with December 2008. Newfoundland and
Labrador (+5.6%) experienced the fastest growth, followed by
Saskatchewan (+4.9%) and Ontario (+3.9%). Alberta (+1.2%) had the
slowest year-over-year growth.
Statistics Canada
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/100225/dq100225a-eng.htm |
