Email icon Back to Search
Monthly Labour Market Update Graphic

The latest Statistics Canada local labour market report customized for the Brantford CMA for last month is now available.

May Unemployment Rate: Brantford 4.6% [-] Ontario 5.5% [+] Canada 5.1% [-]

Be sure to review the participation rate and the employment rate (reported as percentages), as well as the labour force, the employed, and the unemployed values (reported as absolute numbers). These give a better picture of changes in the market.

Labour Market Report

The report includes annual rates for the last 10 years, comparing Brantford to surrounding CMAs as well as the provincial and national levels.

Overview from Statistics Canada

Amid a number of recent indicators of increasing labour demand and limited supply, employment growth resumed in May after pausing in April. Total employment increased by 40,000 (+0.2%) in May, including strong growth in full-time work (+135,000; +0.9%). Part-time employment dropped by 96,000 (-2.6%).

Overall, employment gains were driven by increases for women in each of the three main age groups, while employment was little changed for men in each of the groups.

Among women in the core working ages of 25 to 54, full-time employment rose by 63,000 (+1.2%) in May, while part-time work fell by 41,000 (-4.0%). Similarly, for young women aged 15 to 24, full-time gains (+53,000; +10.0%) were greater than part-time losses (-37,000; -4.8%).

Employment increases in May

Employment rose by 40,000 (+0.2%) in May 2022, driven by full-time gains (+135,000; +0.9%).

Employment in the services-producing sector rose by 81,000 (+0.5%) in May, with gains spread across several industries, including accommodation and food services.

Employment in the goods-producing sector declined by 41,000 (-1.0%), mostly due to a decline in manufacturing (-43,000; -2.4%).

Employment increased in Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, and Alberta. It declined in New Brunswick and was little changed in all other provinces.

Total hours worked were little changed in May, but were up 5.1% compared with 12 months earlier.

Average hourly wages increased 3.9% (+$1.18 to $31.12) on a year-over-year basis, up from 3.3% in April.

Unemployment rate reaches new record low

The unemployment rate edged down 0.1 percentage points in May, reaching a new record low of 5.1%.

The adjusted unemployment rate—which includes those who wanted a job but did not look for one—fell 0.2 percentage points to 7.0% in May, the lowest rate on record since comparable data became available in 1976.

Long-term unemployment accounted for 19.7% of all unemployment in May, up from 15.6% in February 2020.

Local Top Line

  • May Unemployment Rate: Brantford 4.6% [-] Ontario 5.5% [+] Canada 5.1% [-]
  • The local unemployment rate decreased by 0.2 month over month.
  • The local labour force contracted by 200 month over month.
  • The number of employed did not change month over month.
  • The number of unemployed decreased by 200 month over month.
  • When compared to the surrounding CMAs of Hamilton, Niagara, Waterloo, Guelph, and London, Brantford’s unemployment rate is lowest.

Note:  Brantford's unemployment reflects a 3 month moving average, whereas Ontario and Canada are monthly figures.  The sample CMA breakdown for Brantford area is detailed in text at the Stats Canada website:  http://www23.statcan.gc.ca/imdb/p3VD.pl?Function=getVD&TVD=117159&CVD=117161&CPV=543&CST=01012011&CLV=2&MLV=3