The jobless rate in the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region sat at 7.1% in February, an increase of 0.8%.
But it's still well under the provincial rate of 9.3%
That according to the Four County Labour Market Planning Board.
Their statistics also show that overall net employment in the region decreased by 1,500. Most of the losses came from full-time positions from what the group says was was a direct impact of the second provincial lockdown and employers continue to grapple with decisions on how to manage their businesses.
While there were job gains in the utilities and manufacturing sector, they were outpaced by losses in agriculture, construction and retail.
Current job postings for the Bruce, Grey, Huron, Perth region can be found at www.connect2JOBS.ca.
“The Services-producing sector continues to be battered by the closures due to the pandemic at the same time some industries in the Goods-producing sector are on a rebound,” says Gemma Mendez-Smith, Executive Director of the Four County Labour Market Planning Board. “We need to ensure we have recovery strategies in place for either reskilling or training the workforce for the new local emerging economy. We know there will be change.”
