Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

BC NDP government crows about latest labour stats, however most important age groups and genders awash with MINUS signs


Just last week, the BC NDP government was crowing about provincial labour stats from August 9th.  In some area there were positive signs, however as you can see, the most important ages groups and genders were awash with minus signs:





B.C. Highlights

The unemployment rate in British Columbia was 4.4% in July, down slightly (-0.1 points) from June .... BUT overall it should be noted that ... the labour force contracted (‑8,500) and there were fewer jobs (‑4,800) in July...



In July, 8,100 part-time jobs were added, while 12,900 full-time jobs were lost.



By age group, the full-time employment gains for those aged 55 and over (+4,700) were offset by fewer jobs among those 25 to 54 (‑12,300) and 15 to 24 (‑5,300).



On the other hand, there were increases in part-time jobs for those aged 25 to 54 (+8,700) and 15 to 24 (+5,800), while part-time employment declined for those aged 55 years and over (‑6,400).



Employment increased in the public sector (+9,200), while the number of private sector (‑9,400) jobs declined in July. The number of self-employed individuals decreased (‑4,600) compared to June.



Provincial Comparisons

At 4.4%, British Columbia’s unemployment rate was the lowest in Canada for the month of July. Quebec had the second lowest unemployment rate (4.9%), followed by Saskatchewan (5.4%), Ontario (5.7%), and Manitoba (5.8%).



Gender

In July, employment in British Columbia for men (aged 25 years and over) increased by 800, while the size of the labour force contracted (‑2,400). As a result, the unemployment rate for men was 3.3%, down from 3.6% in June.



For women (aged 25 years and over), there were 6,000 fewer jobs in July, while the labour force decreased by 5,200. Consequently, the unemployment rate for women remained at 3.8%, unchanged from the previous month.





Industry

Employment in the goods-producing sector was down (‑7,000 or ‑1.4%) in July.



The largest losses were in manufacturing (‑4,200 or ‑2.5%) and forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas (‑2,500 or ‑5.6%). The construction (+900 or +0.4%) and agriculture (+300 or +1.2%) industries saw increases.



In the twelve months to July, employment in the goods-producing sector declined by 8,900 (‑1.8%).



In July, overall employment for the services-producing sector (+2,400 or +0.1%) increased from the previous month.



Among the service industries, educational services (+10,900 or +6.3%) posted the largest increase, followed by accommodation and food services (+5,300 or +2.9%) and other services, except public administration (+3,200 or +2.7%).




On the other hand, employment decreased for professional, scientific and technical services (‑4,600 or ‑2.1%), transportation and warehousing (‑4,500 or ‑3.2%), and health care and social assistance (‑2,800 or ‑0.9%) in July. Since July 2018, the services-producing sector has added 102,500 (+5.2%) positions.

Tech and professional sector ... DOWN



Manufacturing ... DOWN

Forestry and mining ... DOWN



And jobs for those aged 25 to 54 ... the KEY age group most important to the well-being of our provinces??   DOWN




And how does Bruce Ralston, Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology, Stats Can Labour Force Survey figures for July 2019?



“Our government’s good economic stewardship, paired with investments in people, has resulted in British Columbia leading the country with the lowest unemployment ... confirms that British Columbia has a strong economy, despite uncertainty in the global economy and difficulties in certain sectors”.



And what sectors are the ones Ralston is referring to as having uncertainty and difficulties? They are the ones I just noted above ... and especially the 25 to 54 age group.



British Columbians cannot prosper, as long as this NDP government throws roadblocks in front of the resource industry ... and causes a never-ending delays through government court actions.

Full stop – end of story ... almost.



Dear Mr. Ralston ... supporting affected workers and their communities and ensuring they get the assistance they need ... actually means doing something POSITIVE.



Visit the Labour Market Statistics page for detailed data tables and other resources.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BC cannot regulate, redesign, and reinterpret its way to a stable forestry sector. Communities need clear rules, predictable timelines, and accountability for results.

Photo credit:  Atli Resources LP   BC’s Forestry Crisis Continues with Closure of Beaver Cove Chip Facility   As industry leaders, Indigenous partners, and contractors gather this week at the BC Natural Resources Forum in Prince George, the gap between government rhetoric and reality could not be clearer. Just hours after the Eby government once again touted reconciliation, certainty, and economic opportunity under DRIPA, Atli Chip Ltd, a company wholly owned by the ’Na̱mg̱is First Nation, announced it is managing the orderly closure of its Beaver Cove chip facility. The closure comes despite public tax dollars, repeated government announcements, and assurances that new policy frameworks would stabilize forestry employment and create long-term opportunity in rural and coastal British Columbia. “British Columbians are being told one story, while communities are living another,” said Ward Stamer, Critic for Forests. “This closure makes it clear that announcement...
Post a Comment
Read more

Stamer: Hope for Forestry Completely Shattered After Another Provincial Review Driven by DRIPA

IMAGE CREDIT:  Provincial Forestry Advisory Council Conservative Critic for Forests Ward Stamer says the final report from the Provincial Forestry Advisory Council confirms the worst fears of forestry workers and communities; instead of addressing the real issues driving mill closures and job losses, the NDP has produced a report that ignores industry realities and doubles down on governance restructuring. Despite years of warnings from forestry workers, contractors, and industry organizations about permitting delays, regulatory costs, fibre access, and the failure of BC Timber Sales, the PFAC report offers no urgency, no timelines, and no concrete action to stop the ongoing decline of the sector. “ This report completely shatters any remaining hope that the government is serious about saving forestry ,” said Stamer.  “ We didn’t need another study to tell us what industry has been saying for years. While mills close and workers lose their livelihoods, the NDP is focused on re...
Post a Comment
Read more

FORSETH – My question is, ‘How do we decide who is blue enough to be called a Conservative?’

How do we decide who’s blue enough to be a Conservative? AS OF TODAY (Friday January 30 th ), there are now eight individuals who have put their names forward to lead the Conservative Party of British Columbia. Having been involved with BC’s Conservatives since 2010, and having seen MANY ups and downs, having 8 people say “I want to lead the party” is to me, an incredible turn-around from the past. Sadly, however, it seems that our party cannot seem to shake what I, and others, call a purity test of ‘what is a Conservative’. And that seems to have already come to the forefront of the campaign by a couple of candidates. Let me just say as a Conservative Party of BC member, and as someone active in the party, that frustrates me to no end. Conservatives, more than any other political philosophy or belief, at least to me, seems to have the widest and broadest spectrum of ideals.   For the most part, they are anchored by these central thoughts --- smaller and less intru...
1 comment
Read more

Labels

Show more