Ontario Employment Outlook: August 2021 Report

Ontario’s employment outlook continued to improve in August 2021. The province moved into Stage 3 of COVID-19 reopening in the middle of July, which helped boost employment. Those effects continued into August. 

 

Here is a look at how employment in Ontario was impacted in August 2021, compiled by our employment experts at Nova staffing. All data is from the Ontario Government August 2021 Labour Market report. 

 

 

Employment Summary

In August, Ontario had 7.4 million (60.1%) employed individuals, adding 53,000 jobs. This was a 0.7% increase from July, where the employment rate was 59.8%. This increase was likely a lingering effect of the province entering Stage 3 of pandemic reopening.

 

Unemployment was also positively impacted. In August, there were 607,500 (7.6%) individuals, which was a 5.4% decrease from the previous month’s rate. 

 

Employment by Age

Youth employment (15-24) saw 26,500 new jobs in August. This was an increase of 2.7% from July. Unemployment for this demographic also improved, dropping to 13.8% from 14.5% the previous month.

 

Adult employment (25-54) also improved in August. This demographic added 8,500 new jobs, a 0.2% monthly increase. However, unemployment also dropped from 6.5% in July to 6.3% in August. Senior employment (55+) added 18,200 new jobs, a 1.1% increase, following a 1.1% decrease in July. Unemployment for seniors was 7.1%, down from 8.1% the previous month.

 

Employment by Sector

Some industries continued to be hit harder in terms of employment than others. While the province moved into Stage 3 of reopening in July, restrictions were still in place that impacted employment in certain industries. 

 

Sectors that saw employment growth include Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (+80.6%), Educational Services (+19.9%), Public Administration (+18.4%), and Manufacturing (+6.1%). 

 

Not every industry was lucky enough to have employment gains. The sectors that saw the greatest employment loss and were the furthest from their pre-pandemic employment levels were Other Services (Except Public Admin.) (-39.2%), Accommodation and Food Services (-29.6%), Construction (-29.6%), and Business, Building, and Other Support Services (-28.3%).

 

Employment by Region

Thirteen of Ontario’s sixteen CMA’s saw employment growth in August 2021. Regions that saw the most employment growth was led by Toronto (+70.6%) and followed by St.Catharines-Niagara (+7.2%), Hamilton (+4.7%), Oshawa (+4.2%), Windsor (+2.3%), Belleville (+2.2%), Kingston (+2.2%), London (+1.9%), Guelph (+1.3%), Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (+1.3%), Thunder Bay (+0.6%), Greater Sudbury (+0.4%), and Brantford (+0.1%).

 

Only three regions saw employment loss in August. These were Ottawa-Gatineau (-5.5%), Peterborough (-1.7%), and Barrie (-0.1%). 

 

Is your company looking for help hiring top talent or need staffing solutions? Contact Nova Staffing! Our team of employment experts has over 200 years of combined industry experience and is here to help.

 

Ontario Employment Outlook: July 2021 Report

Ontario’s employment continued to improve in July 2021, following June’s trend. This was likely due to the province moving into Stage 2 of reopening at the end of June and into Stage 3 in the middle of July. More types of businesses were allowed to reopen and expand capacity, helping employment. 

 

Here is a look at how employment in Ontario was impacted in July 2021, compiled by our employment experts at Nova Staffing. All data is from the Ontario Government July 2021 Labour Market report. 

 

 

Employment Summary

In July, Ontario had 7.4 million (59.8%) employed individuals, up 72,400 from June, a 1% increase. Employment was still 1.6% below its pre-COVID-10 February 2020 levels. 

 

Unemployment also improved in July. Ontario’s unemployment rate dropped down to 4% from 8.4% in June. In total, 641,900 people were unemployed, down 4% from the previous month.

 

Employment by Age

Youth employment (15-24) saw a 42,500 job increase in July. This was a slower increase than the previous month, but unemployment dropped down to 14.5% from 17.2% in June.

 

Adult employment (25-54) added 47,200 employed individuals, a 1% increase from the previous month. Unemployment stayed unchanged at 6.5%. Senior unemployment (55+) didn’t improve in July, however. This demographic saw 17,400 fewer jobs in July, though unemployment did drop to 8.2% from 8.3% in June. 

 

Employment by Sector

Different industries continued to be hit harder by COVID-19 precautions than others, even moving into reopening Stage 2 and Stage 3. Sectors that were furthest from their pre-COVID-19 levels were Accommodation and Food Services (-80.2%), Construction (-39.2%), Information, Culture, and Recreation (-31.1%), Business, Building, and Other Support Services (-22.2%), and Transportation and Warehousing (-22.2%).

 

Other industries saw employment gains in July 2021. These sectors include Professional, Scientific, and Technical Service (+67.5%), Manufacturing (+27.1%), Public Administration (+17.4%), Health Care and Social Assistance (+11.3%), and Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental and Leasing (+7.4%).

 

Employment by Region

Twelve of Ontario’s sixteen CMA’s saw employment gains in July 2021. Toronto led with 44.4%, followed by Barrie (+4.6%), Ottawa-Gatineau (+3.3%), Oshawa (+3.1%), Guelph (+2.3%), St. Catharines-Niagara (+2.2%), Belleville (+1.6%), London (+0.7%), Windsor (+0.3%), Brantford (+0.2%), Kingston (+0.2%), and Thunder Bay (+0.1%).

 

Only four of Ontario’s CMAs saw employment loss, including Hamilton (-2.5%), Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (-0.8%), Greater Sudbury (-0.5%), and Peterborough (-0.4%). 

 

Is your company looking for help hiring top talent or need staffing solutions? Contact Nova Staffing! Our team of employment experts has over 200 years of combined industry experience and is here to help.

 

Ontario Employment Outlook: December 2020 Report

For the first time since May, employment in Ontario decreased. Of the 12.4 million people in the province, 7.3 million were employed in December 2020. The second provincial lockdown due to COVID-19 was likely a significant factor in decreased employment and increased unemployment rates. 

 

Here is a quick market summary report of Ontario’s employment outlook for December 2020, compiled by our HR experts at Nova Staffing. All data is from the Ontario Government December 2020 Labour market report.  

 

 

Employment Outlook

Employment in Ontario took a hit in December, dropping for the first time since May when the pandemic was at the peak. This was likely due to the second provincial wide lockdown that officially started on December 26th. Employment decreased by 11,900 jobs in December, down 0.2% from November.

 

Unemployment saw an increase in December after decreasing the previous month. In December, there were 762,500 unemployed people in Ontario, up 3.9% from the previous month. 

 

Employment by Age

Youth Employment (1524) continued to be the most impacted by the pandemic in December, with unemployment sitting at 20.9%. This was up slightly from 20.2% in November. Employment did increase in this demographic, though, with 15,400 new jobs. 

 

Adult Employment (25-54) was hit hard in December, losing 35,300 jobs, though unemployment stayed at 7.6%. Senior Employment (55+) increased by 8,000 jobs. Unemployment unfortunately also increased to 7.2% from 6.5% the previous month.  

 

Employment by Sector

Certain sectors continued to be hit harder than others. The second lockdown meant only certain businesses deemed essential were allowed to operate fully. This resulted in some seeing employment gains while others continued to drop below pre-COVID levels. 

 

The sectors with the biggest employment growth in December were Forestry, Fishing, Mining, Quarrying, and Oil (+7.1%), Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental and Leasing (+4.2%), Manufacturing (+3.9%), and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (+3.1%). 

 

The sectors that struggled to regain their pre-COVID-19 employment levels in December were, Accommodation and Food Services (-23.9%), Business, Building, and Other Support Services (-18%), Transportation and Warehousing (-13.2%), and Other Services (except Public Admin.) (-8.1%).

 

Employment by Region

Due to the second lockdown, employment levels in many of Ontario’s CMA’s fell between November and December. Some of Ontario’s biggest cities, such as St. Catharine’s-Niagara and Toronto, saw employment levels drop for the first time in months. The regions that saw employment increase in December were: Hamilton (2.2%), Kingston (1.6%), London (1.4%), Peterborough (1%), Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (1%), and Thunder Bay (0.2%).

 

If you’re looking for staffing solutions, contact Nova Staffing today! We’re one of the best employment agencies in the GTA and have a team of HR experts ready to help you with all of your employment needs. 

4 Creative Ways to Improve Working from Home

As COVID-19 continues to keep workers at home, many employees and employers are now looking for creative solutions to help make remote working more enjoyable. While both workers and businesses have enjoyed the benefits of working from home, there are still some challenges. Having clear work and personal boundaries can help reduce burnout and stress. Here are a few creative ways our HR experts recommend trying to improve your remote working experience.

 

Fake Commutes

One of the biggest benefits of remote working is not having to commute to the office anymore. While not having to trek into the workspace is great, many employees have found they miss certain parts of their commute. One of the newest creative trends remote workers have adopted is adding a fake commute to their daily routine. Whether it’s taking a walk around the block or grabbing a cup from their favorite coffee house, adding a faux commute is a great way to get ready for the workday mentally.

 

Dedicated Space

It’s been proven many times that our environment impacts our productivity. That’s why having a dedicated workspace in your home is a great way to improve your remote working experience. This looks different for everyone, so try to spend some time tweaking your home to see what works best for you. If you have to be on video chat, make sure the area around you is professional looking.

 

Multiple Communication Platforms

One of the biggest changes working from home has resulted in is how workplaces communicate with each other. People used to have many options- phone calls, in-person visits, emails, etc. Many employers have made the mistake of sticking to one communication method when remote working. Not only is this monotonous, but not all employees communicate the same way. Employers should try implementing multiple communication methods such as emails, internal chats, phone calls, and video calls, which should help keep everyone engaged.

 

Company Culture

Working from home has many benefits, but one of the biggest struggles our HR experts at Nova Staffing have heard is that it’s harder to establish and foster company culture. This is one of the biggest hurdles of remote working, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible! There are still many ways employers can build relationships between employees and have fun. From virtual happy hour to trivia tournaments, there are tons of ways to keep your company culture alive and ensure employees still have positive experiences with their coworkers.

 

If you’re looking for staffing solutions or need help finding quality candidates for your company, contact Nova Staffing today! We’re one of the best employment agencies in the GTA and have a team of staffing experts ready to help you. Our team has over 200 years of combined industry experience and speaks English, French, Hindi, Punjabi, Mandarin, Arabic, and Urdu!

 

How Ontario’s Second Lockdown Will Impact Employment

Ontario has recently once again moved into lockdown to help stop the spread of COVID-19. While Toronto has seen some level of restrictions since the virus first hit the city, this will be a major blow for other parts of the province that have seen more freedom. One of the big questions employment agencies have been getting is how the second lockdown will impact employment and hiring. Here are a few things companies should get ready for.

 

More Remote Working

Get ready to see remote working reach new levels. One of the biggest things coming with the latest lockdown is that all non-essential employees who do not need to be in the workspace physically will now be required to work from home. That means employers who have adopted a hybrid work-from-home model or asked employees to return to offices will now have to embrace remote working again.

 

Back to Virtual Schooling

Working parents that chose to send their kids back to physical school will now have to get ready for virtual schooling once again. Employers should support parents during this time and try to understand that working parents now have to be employees, parents, and teachers. It’s a lot for anyone! Try to be more flexible with work hours and understanding if an issue arises.

 

Safety Plans

While remote working will increase once again with the lockdown, not all businesses will be impacted. There are still a number of industries, such as transportation, essential workers, and more, that will still have to go in. Ontario is requiring all businesses that are still open and operating to prepare a COVID-19 safety plan. Companies that are remote working should also take this time to come up with a safety plan for when employees do return again. Now is also a good time to evaluate sick day policies in light of the virus.

 

Final Thoughts

It’s still too early to know how the second lockdown will impact employment growth in the province. As with the first round of restrictions, certain industries will be hit harder than others. Employers should do everything they can to support employees during this time in order to boost efficiency and morale.

 

If you need help fulfilling job positions with quality candidates, contact us today! Nova Staffing is one of Toronto’s best employment agencies and has a team of HR experts ready to help you with all of your staffing needs.

 

Ontario Employment Outlook: November 2020 Report

Employment across Ontario continued to improve in November, however, another round of lockdowns did see unemployment rise in certain sectors and demographics. Of the 12.4 million people in Ontario aged 15 and older, 7.3 million were employed in November. Although the year is now over, the pandemic continues to impact employment across the province.

 

Here is a quick market summary report of Ontario’s employment outlook for November 2020, compiled by our employment experts at Nova Staffing. All data is from the Ontario Government November 2020 Labour market report.

 

 

Employment Outlook

Employment in Ontario increased slightly in November from October, adding 30,600 new jobs. This is a 0.4% increase from last month, though overall, the employment rate did not change.

 

While unemployment increased in October, November saw unemployment decrease again. There were 786,000 unemployed residents in Ontario (9.1%), a 0.5% decrease from October’s 9.6% unemployment rate.

 

Employment by Age

Youth employment (15-24) was hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic and has been the slowest to recover. This age demographic did see some improvement in November, adding 12,100 new jobs that month. Unemployment for this demographic is still at 20.2%, though, the highest amongst all ages.

 

Adult employment didn’t see much change from October, only adding 1,700 new jobs in November. Unemployment also slightly increased for adults, up to 7.6% from 7.5% in October. Senior employment saw a decrease in October but improved in November, adding 22,800 new jobs. Unemployment for seniors also dropped to 6.5% from 7.3%.

 

Employment by Sector

Certain industries were hit hardest by the pandemic and closures. 57% of job losses during Feb-May were from four sectors, and these account for the majority of the jobs gained since spring.

 

Certain sectors have struggled to return to their pre-pandemic levels and have been gaining jobs the slowest. These include Accommodation and Food Services (-18.1%), Transportation and Warehousing (-14.2%), Business, Building, and Other Support Services (-13.3%), and Agriculture (-8.5%).

 

Meanwhile, other industries added jobs in November, like Forestry, Fishing, Mining, Quarrying, and Oil (+12.8%), Finance, Insurance, Real Estate, Rental and Leasing (+3.5%), Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (+2.7%), and Manufacturing (+1.7%).

 

Employment by Region

Employment increases and decreases have been varying based on the region in Ontario. COVID-19 has impacted regions of the province differently and lockdown restrictions have varied as well. In November, Hamilton led employment growth seeing a 2.2% increase. It was followed by Toronto (+1.5%), Kingston (+1.4%), Thunder Bay (+1.2%), Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (+1.1%), and Oshawa (+0.6%).

 

If you’re looking for help fulfilling job positions or looking for hiring solutions, contact Nova Staffing today! We’re one of the best employment agencies in Toronto and have a team of HR experts ready to help you with all of your staffing needs.