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Jobboom Index for April

Ontario Index remains strong despite job losses

Ontario lost 1,800 jobs in March after creating 59,100 new jobs over the two previous months. As such, the province’s index has dropped slightly
(-1.7 points) to 92.6 % for April, but maintains the excellent status achieved last month.

The majority of losses in March were reported in the goods-producing sector (-9,500), as follows: agriculture (-9,500), construction (-6,300), forestry, fishing, mining, oil and gas (+ 3,000), public services (+ 1,800) and manufacturing (+ 1,500).

   APRIL 2008
   FORECAST
92.6%



EXCELLENT



Meanwhile Ontario’s services sector fared the best in March with the creation of 7,700 new jobs, followed by transportation and warehousing (+ 12,700), educational services (+ 9,200), accommodation and food (+ 7,200), health care and social assistance (+ 7,000), trade (+ 3,100) and business, building and other support services (+ 3,000). Meanwhile, losses were reported in professional, scientific and technical services (-13,300), finance, insurance, real estate and leasing (-8,300) and information and culture and
recreation (-7,300).

Over the past year, employment in Ontario has grown by 1.8 %.

This month’s index ranks 6th out of 120, meaning there were 114 months with weaker indices over the past 120 months. From March 1998 to March 2008, employment has grown by 23 %.

Toronto region: 67.6 % — Fair
17,000 jobs were created in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) in March 2008, for a total of 33,400 jobs created in the past two months. Data compiled by Statistics Canada over the last 10 years also show a slight upwards trend in job creation for this region during the month of April. As such, this month’s index is up 9.8 points and remains fair at 67.6 % for the month of April.

Over the past 12 months, employment in the Toronto region has grown by 2 %.

This month’s index ranks 38th out of 120, meaning there were 82 months with weaker indices over the past 10 years. From 1998 to 2008, employment in this CMA increased by 28 %.


  INDEX
(percent)
EMPLOYMENT SITUATION COMPARED TO MARCH
ONTARIO 92.6 EXCELLENT -1.7
Ottawa-Gatineau Region 91 Excellent 0.2
Toronto Region 67.6 Fair 9.8