The Labour Force Survey released by Statistics Canada today shows Prince Edward Island’s unemployment rate was 9.3 per cent in September, down from 10.3 per cent in August. This was the largest monthly decline among all provinces.
“Businesses on Prince Edward Island are constantly creating new jobs for Islanders. I am grateful that many of our Island workers have been able to secure jobs with our business community this month,” said Workforce and Advanced Learning Minister Richard Brown. “While data fluctuates month-to-month, we are committed to using the most accurate information for P.E.I. to create a stronger labour force.”
There were 73,700 Islanders employed in September, up from 72,200 in August. There were 2,700 more people who reported they had full-time work, while the number of people with part-time work decreased by 1,000.
The Government of Prince Edward Island is committed to expanding opportunities for Islanders to learn and work here at home, connecting employers with employees to achieve higher levels of employment. Today there are 386 jobs listed for Prince Edward Island on the Job Bank maintained by the Government of Canada. These range from professional positions to entry-level service jobs.
“There are jobs available on Prince Edward Island,” said Minister Brown. “Government is working to help Islanders secure jobs and to provide training for work opportunities that will provide more prosperous opportunities for individuals and our province.”
The province’s labour force participation rate improved in September, with 67.2 per cent of Islanders engaged in the labour force (either employed or seeking work) in September compared to 66.8 per cent in August. Only Alberta reported a higher labour force participation rate.
The Department of Workforce and Advanced Learning is in regular contact with employers, job seekers and educators to ensure Islanders know of job opportunities and to help match training with the labour market.
Minister Brown said the province’s economy remains strong with Prince Edward Island leading the country to export growth this year at a rate of 18 per cent. Wages also remain strong at an average hourly wage of $20.43 for persons older than 15 . Minimum wage has risen from $6.80 an hour in 2005 to $10.50, an increase higher than the rate of inflation.
BACKGROUNDER
The Department of Workforce and Advanced Learning has a mandate to help Islanders improve their skills through education and training, and to help employers find workers to meet their labour needs on PEI.
Skills PEI, the provincial government’s main deliverer of training and skills development offers several programs aimed at preparing individuals for the job market; including
Training PEI, Employ PEI, Self Employ PEI, Career Prep Program, Graduate Mentorship Program, Passport to Employment, Canada-PEI Job Grant, Workforce Development Fund.
The Labour Force Survey estimates produced monthly by Statistics Canada are based on a sample and are therefore subject to sampling variability. As a result, monthly estimates will show more variability than trends observed over longer time periods. Estimates for smaller geographic areas or industries also have more variability.