Annual job growth in Halton more than doubled, survey finds

Looking for a job in Halton Region?

The odds are in your favour as businesses continue to grow and create employment, according to a recent employment survey.

Halton’s unemployment rate is just over five per cent, lower than the Canadian average of seven per cent, with full-time work making up 70 per cent of the region’s job market.

The region gained 4,273 jobs in 2016, more than doubling the 1,769-job rise of the previous year.

The survey, conducted every year since 2013, outlines how the region is handling economic growth and development so that policy-makers can have a full picture of its progress. More than 13,000 businesses took part this time around, which is 97 per cent of the total. All but 700 provided data on 224,299 jobs across Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville.

The region saw a net gain of 28 new businesses in 2016, but most of the reported job gains were from growth in existing ones.

Close to 25,000 new jobs were generated. But these gains were offset by 12,000 jobs lost due to businesses closing or relocating and 8,600 jobs lost to downsizing.

With the 1,052 businesses that closed, 11,856 jobs were lost while 1,080 new businesses created 10,353 new jobs.

Manufacturing (34,752 jobs) overtook retail (33,166 jobs) as Halton’s top employment sector. The food and beverage industry leads the retail sector with 8,643 jobs; apparel is the next largest, with 5,156 jobs. Transportation equipment continues to dominate the manufacturing sector, with 8,416

people employed. Educational services also make up a sizable portion of Halton’s job market, employing 20,144 workers.

Of Halton’s 13,287 businesses, 488 reported that they are selling goods outside of Canada. Fabricated metal manufacturing is the largest exporter (37 businesses), which is more than triple the 11 businesses doing that work in 2015. Chemical manufacturing also gained 13 more businesses exporting goods.

There was also a surge in businesses reporting the use of research and development tax credits, with a total of 724 last year compared to 125 in 2015.

The City of Hamilton is conducting an employment survey for 2017.

If you are a business owner and would like to participate, visit hamilton.ca and search under “City’s Annual Employment Survey.”