WASHINGTON: Some good news on the unemployment front in Grey, Bruce, Huron and Perth Counties. Stats released by the Four County Labour Market Planning Board show the unemployment rate from Tobermory to Stratford, fell from 6.3 per cent to 6.2 per cent in April. Overall employment in the four Counties totalled 140,000 people — down 2,100 from the month before. Executive Director Gemma Mendez-Smith says part time employment held steady last month at 32,200 while full time employment fell by 2,000 to 107,900 jobs.
Mendez-Smith says there is some solid economic news in the area. She points to the planned expansion of the Beach Street Station Restaurant in Goderich, which expects to add 50 employees, and the plans for a phase two in the development of Kincardine’s Marriott Hotel Town Place Suites.
As well, the opening of AMMCan in Kincardine, adds another positive outlook for jobs in the region. Nationally, Canada’s jobless rate held steady in April at 7.1 per cent, with an overall job loss of only 2,100 in the month. In Ontario, the jobless rate inched up from 6.8 to 7 per cent last month.