Waterlooson
Dec 4, 2006, 4:39 PM
I wanted to post this article because Kitchener has never been considered to be part of the "greater Toronto area" until now. Here it is:
Area job growth keeps on coming
Mon, December 4, 2006
Despite a 'respectable' showing, the London region should be doing better, an analyst says.
By NORMAN DE BONO, FREE PRESS BUSINESS REPORTER
The London area continues to rack up job gains, pushing it near the top of the list of southern Ontario cities.
London ranks second highest by percentage in southern Ontario over the last five years in employment growth, compared to similar-sized areas, and much of that growth has been in full-time employment, a recent report from Service Canada shows.
"It is fabulous, we seem to be doing well," said Jeny Wallace, director of workforce development for the London Economic Development Corp.
"We are sitting in a good position here with job growth and attraction and retention increasing."
Kitchener led the pack with 13 per cent job growth (28,700 jobs) over the five years. London's growth was 6.3 per cent (14,400 jobs), while Hamilton was close behind at 6.29 per cent (21,600 jobs).
Windsor followed with 2.5 per cent growth (3,900 jobs) and St. Catharines-Niagara posted a 0.8 per cent increase (1,500 jobs), according to Statistics Canada figures gathered by Service Canada.
Although London's numbers are "respectable," Derek Burleton, an economist with TD Bank in Toronto who covers Southwestern Ontario, believes the city and region should be performing better.
"The city could be growing faster. London's economy has faced some serious challenges on the manufacturing front," he said.
London's economy is almost a mirror of the Ontario average, so with provincial employment growth totalling about 10 per cent over the five years, London's job growth should be closer to that figure, Burleton said.
"I consider anything under two per cent per year employment growth (to be) on the weak side," he said. "London could be doing better."
Though neck-and-neck in job growth with Hamilton, London posted stronger full-time employment numbers with a 9.5 per cent increase compared to 8.9 per cent for the steel city.
"The full-time employment growth is very positive for London," said Ray Gormley, Service Canada economist in Kitchener, who compiled the job growth figures.
London's full-time employment growth is on par with the Ontario average of 9.9 per cent. Job growth also is keeping pace with population growth of 6.1 per cent in the London area over the same five-year period.
"Those are good measures of economic well-being in an area over time," Gormley said.
He attributed Kitchener's strong numbers to it having become part of the Greater Toronto Area.
The survey is residence-based, meaning it measures where people live. A person living in Kitchener but working in the GTA is recorded in the survey as a Kitchener worker.
"One of the things that has benefited Kitchener is its closeness to Toronto," Gormley said.
In the important 25 to 44 age group, the London area attracted and kept more than 4,000 workers between 2000 and 2005, second lowest among similar-sized Ontario cities, according to migration figures from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.
From 2000 to 2005, London attracted and retained 4,071 people in that age range. Hamilton led the pack with 11,798, Kitchener followed at 11,163, Windsor was next with 6,881 and St. Catharines finished last at 3,121.
But London's attractiveness appeared to grow in recent years. In 2004, London stood third, narrowing the gap between the two front-runners.
Adding more than 4,000 jobs in that demographic over the last five years is impressive, considering that from 1994 to 1999, London had a negative ranking in that category, losing 94 residents, Wallace said.
"We seem to be gaining strength."
The 25 to 44 age group is deemed important because it represents migrants who live and work in a city, often remaining to expand the economy.
The figures cover the London Census Metropolitan Area, which includes much of the rural area around the city.
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2006/12/04/2620932-sun.html
Area job growth keeps on coming
Mon, December 4, 2006
Despite a 'respectable' showing, the London region should be doing better, an analyst says.
By NORMAN DE BONO, FREE PRESS BUSINESS REPORTER
The London area continues to rack up job gains, pushing it near the top of the list of southern Ontario cities.
London ranks second highest by percentage in southern Ontario over the last five years in employment growth, compared to similar-sized areas, and much of that growth has been in full-time employment, a recent report from Service Canada shows.
"It is fabulous, we seem to be doing well," said Jeny Wallace, director of workforce development for the London Economic Development Corp.
"We are sitting in a good position here with job growth and attraction and retention increasing."
Kitchener led the pack with 13 per cent job growth (28,700 jobs) over the five years. London's growth was 6.3 per cent (14,400 jobs), while Hamilton was close behind at 6.29 per cent (21,600 jobs).
Windsor followed with 2.5 per cent growth (3,900 jobs) and St. Catharines-Niagara posted a 0.8 per cent increase (1,500 jobs), according to Statistics Canada figures gathered by Service Canada.
Although London's numbers are "respectable," Derek Burleton, an economist with TD Bank in Toronto who covers Southwestern Ontario, believes the city and region should be performing better.
"The city could be growing faster. London's economy has faced some serious challenges on the manufacturing front," he said.
London's economy is almost a mirror of the Ontario average, so with provincial employment growth totalling about 10 per cent over the five years, London's job growth should be closer to that figure, Burleton said.
"I consider anything under two per cent per year employment growth (to be) on the weak side," he said. "London could be doing better."
Though neck-and-neck in job growth with Hamilton, London posted stronger full-time employment numbers with a 9.5 per cent increase compared to 8.9 per cent for the steel city.
"The full-time employment growth is very positive for London," said Ray Gormley, Service Canada economist in Kitchener, who compiled the job growth figures.
London's full-time employment growth is on par with the Ontario average of 9.9 per cent. Job growth also is keeping pace with population growth of 6.1 per cent in the London area over the same five-year period.
"Those are good measures of economic well-being in an area over time," Gormley said.
He attributed Kitchener's strong numbers to it having become part of the Greater Toronto Area.
The survey is residence-based, meaning it measures where people live. A person living in Kitchener but working in the GTA is recorded in the survey as a Kitchener worker.
"One of the things that has benefited Kitchener is its closeness to Toronto," Gormley said.
In the important 25 to 44 age group, the London area attracted and kept more than 4,000 workers between 2000 and 2005, second lowest among similar-sized Ontario cities, according to migration figures from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.
From 2000 to 2005, London attracted and retained 4,071 people in that age range. Hamilton led the pack with 11,798, Kitchener followed at 11,163, Windsor was next with 6,881 and St. Catharines finished last at 3,121.
But London's attractiveness appeared to grow in recent years. In 2004, London stood third, narrowing the gap between the two front-runners.
Adding more than 4,000 jobs in that demographic over the last five years is impressive, considering that from 1994 to 1999, London had a negative ranking in that category, losing 94 residents, Wallace said.
"We seem to be gaining strength."
The 25 to 44 age group is deemed important because it represents migrants who live and work in a city, often remaining to expand the economy.
The figures cover the London Census Metropolitan Area, which includes much of the rural area around the city.
http://lfpress.ca/newsstand/News/Local/2006/12/04/2620932-sun.html