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Work IndicatorsWORK Indicators download report in Adobe Acrobat format Job CreationThe labour market in the CDR took a hit in 2009, with employment dropping by 9% (7,500 jobs)—this is the region’s highest rate of job loss in the past decade. Employment fell by 9.8% (2,300 jobs) in the goods-producing sector and by 8.7% (5,200 jobs) in services. Full time positions accounted for 87% of the job losses.[8] In 2009, much of decline in the goods-producing sector is attributed to manufacturing, which lost 2,100 workers—this is no surprise given the sector’s heavy reliance upon forestry.[9] The agriculture sector also dropped by at least 500[10] jobs. Employment in forestry, fishing, mining, and oil and gas grew by 600 jobs—West Fraser’s Williams Lake mill was able to remain open for three days a week,[11] and by late 2009, Mackenzie’s AbitibiBowater planer mill and sawmill resumed operations, putting about 60 employees back to work.[12] And after idling for more than a year, the Mackenzie’s Canfor sawmill opened up again in July, with about 70 employees returning.[13] Estimated production at the CDR’s two operating mines was down.[14] The Gibralter Mine near Williams Lake laid off 75 employees in January 2009, however, it continued work on an expansion that is expected to produce a 50% increase in copper output in 2010.[15] Construction recorded its second year of job creation, increasing by 900 jobs, taking the industry to its highest employment level of the decade. While the value of building permits was down significantly in 2009, the value of major projects under construction was up by $37 million. The battering in the goods-producing sector was echoed throughout most services-producing industries. The only industries that appeared to escape the ravages of the recession were information, culture and recreation (1,300 new jobs), accommodation and food services (100 new jobs), and other services (200 new jobs). In 2009, services sector industries that suffered the most were trade (2,600 lost jobs), business, building and other support services and public administration (900 lost jobs apiece) and health care and social assistance (800 lost jobs). Employment in each of these industries had ramped up to a healthy level by 2008, but by 2009, the effects of the slowing economy spread. Table 1-1: Employment, Cariboo Development Region, 2004 to 2009[16]
Unemployment RateThe unemployment rate in the Cariboo rose by 5.5 percentage points (ppt) to reach 12% in 2009—the highest rate and annual increase in the province. Nevertheless, the region has rebounded from unemployment rates of this magnitude in the past, the most recent being in 2002, when the unemployment rate reached 12.7%. Last year, the growth rate of unemployed individuals (9%) outpaced the contraction of the region’s labour force (3.5%), which in turn pushed the unemployment rate up.[17] Although these dynamics also drove the labour force participation rate down to by 3.1 percentage points to 67.3%, this rate is still above the BC average. Northwest BC[18] scored the second highest unemployment rate (10.4%) in the province after the Cariboo. And as in the previous five years, the Northeast Development Region recorded the lowest rate (6.8%). The Mainland/Southwest and the Vancouver Island/Coast tied for second place at 7.2%. Table 1-2: Unemployment Rate, Cariboo Development Region, 2004 to 2009
The CDR’s youth unemployment rate skyrocketed to 19.2% in 2009, more than doubling the 2008 level. This is a steep increase, but again, rates have been this high as recently as 2002. Regardless, this is the highest rate of youth unemployment in the province, sitting at 8.1 percentage points above the British Columbia average. Detailed Labour Force Survey data reveals that the youth labour force in the Cariboo expanded by 900 and the number of unemployed young workers grew by at least 500,[19] which effectively propelled the unemployment rate up. Table 1-3: Youth (age 19 to 24 years) Unemployment Rate, Cariboo Development Region, 2004 to 2009
Footnotes
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