Niagara's labour market makes up 3% of Ontario’s total work force.
The Niagara region's labour force has a strong work ethic that supports consistently high productivity. Excellent training and educational resources are available through Niagara College and Brock University.
Manufacturing is the region’s main economic driver, with approximately 800 manufacturing firms in this sector with more than 31,000 full-time and part-time employees. Niagara’s overall labour market of approximately 200,000 provides businesses with an excellent labour pool from which to establish and expand their businesses. The transportation and automotive related industries sector has approximately 200 companies. For the most current labour force data please review Statistics Canada Monthly Labour Survey.
Over the last five years, the unemployment rate has averaged 7.03%. The Niagara unemployment rate is expected to remain comparable to the provincial and national averages over the next several years, thereby providing employers with labour market availability. Employment growth in Niagara since the early 1990’s has matched that of Ontario and Canada.
Workers in Niagara have demonstrated a strong work ethic. Employee loyalty is another key advantage to Niagara employers. In some sectors, Niagara possesses the lowest employee turnover rate of any metropolitan area in Ontario.
The number of job applicants per job opening depends largely on the particular job and wage rates. It has recently been the experience of Niagara Economic Development Corporation that upwards of 100 job seekers may apply for entry-level administrative positions. Human Resource companies in Niagara confirm that within the overall unemployment rate there are a significant number of experienced manufacturing employees that are available, including both skilled trades workers and semi-skilled workers.
College and university education and training is available through Niagara College, Brock University, and several other publicly and privately funded post-secondary institutions. Technology support and manufacturing skills training are available through specialized training facilities at Niagara College.
More than half of Niagara's population, over the age of 20, has a trade certificate or college/university education. The percent of Niagara Region's population with a trade certificate/diploma, or with a college or university degree, is as high as or higher than all comparable Ontario regions and the provincial and the national averages.
The unionization rate for Niagara's manufacturing sector is approximately 11%. All large and small new companies establishing operations in Niagara are successfully operating in a nonunion environment. This is a developing trend among manufacturing in Niagara.
Niagara's wage rates are competitive and below provincial averages for the various industries.
There are a number of provincial and federal labour market incentive programs available to employers in Niagara. These programs are designed to offset training costs and increase overall employment. For a current list of available programs please view Invest in Ontario - Human Resources and Training Incentives.
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2010 Empolyment by Industry Niagara's Labour Force 2001-2006
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