By Judy Jibb
Positive changes that occurred in the northeastern Ontario labour market last year are also visible in the South Temiskaming District.
Improved labour market conditions were observed in northeastern Ontario with the addition of new jobs occurring in the services-producing sector, offsetting some losses in the goods-producing sector.
Labour force survey estimates are not available for communities the size of New Liskeard and Haileybury due to the small sample size in Statistics Canada's monthly Labour Force Survey. For this reason, we look at the estimates published for the larger northeastern Ontario region to analyse labour market trends.
More recently, the northeastern Ontario labour market gained strength in May. While labour force participation was on the rise, up to a 21-month high of 61.2 per cent, employment growth occurred in full-time jobs to offset a decline in the number of people working part-time.
New job opportunities exceeded new participants to fill positions, while the number of people unemployed and seeking work declined; the northeast unemployment rate dropped down from 9.6 per cent in April to 9.0 per cent.
Labour market indicators in 2001 represented a vast improvement over those recorded in May 2000 in the northeast.
Natural-resource industries in the South Temiskaming region once included a significant mining sector; this has all but vanished. Agriculture and related enterprises now employ about 10 per cent of the labour force and appear stable. In forestry, Grant Forest Products will be creating 80 new jobs with the expansion of two mills to harvest white birch to feed mills in Englehart and Timmins.
Changing demographics are creating the need for the renovation and expansion of health and social service facilities in the area. The Temiskaming District Hospital is renovating and expanding services in the town of New Liskeard.
The Haileybury Retirement Recreation Living Concept will benefit from a $11-million construction project that will result in the development of 72 housing units and amenities in the waterfront area. The revenue generation is expected to be more than $13 million.
Judy Jibb is an information analyst with Human Resources Development Canada
