Labour market information (LMI) constantly changes – employers need to know where to find this information and how to use it in order to remain competitive with current business practices and recruitment strategies.
Simcoe County Snapshot:
Highlights for Simcoe County from the 2016-2017 Local Labour Market Plan:
Between 2011 and 2016:
- The number of employed residents grew by 9.3% in the County of Simcoe between 2011 and 2016, which is significantly higher than the national average, at 5%.
- Five industries experienced employment increases:
- Construction: 4,495 jobs (+24.1%). The Construction industry is the 4th largest employer in the County
- Health Care & Social Assistance: 3,700 jobs (+15.8%). The Health Care & Social Assistance industry is the 2nd largest employer in the County
- Retail Trade: 2,460 jobs (+9%). The Retail Trade industry is the largest employer in the County.
- Accommodation & Food Services: 2,460 jobs (+16.8%)
- Administrative & Support: 2,235 jobs (+22.8%)
- There were fewer Simcoe residents employed in:
- Transportation & Warehousing: -620 jobs (-5.5%)
- Arts, Entertainment & Recreation: -585 jobs (-8.3%)
- Simcoe County businesses are primarily small: 69 per cent of the firms in Simcoe County have no employees, and another 17 per cent have one-to-four employees
(Source: 
2017-2018 Local Labour Market Plan)
Digging Deeper
Digging Deeper provides the results from a 2012 report on the local labour market involving 307 employers in Simcoe County and the District of Muskoka. The survey was designed to help employment service providers better understand the labour market expectations of employers, particularly around local workforce needs and hiring decisions.
Highlights include:
Skills Shortages:
- Skilled trades
- Customer service
- Business/accounting
- Office skills
Key applicant attributes:
- Work ethic
- Interpersonal skills, and
- Fit with the organization
Hiring challenges:
- 56 per cent of employers found it very difficult to recruit qualified senior level employees, compared to only 15 per cent who found it difficult to find entry-level workers
For more information, or to read the whole report visit:
Digging Deeper
Future Trends
Demographics in Canada are changing. The labour market will be directly impacted by the large number of Baby Boomers exiting the workforce. Retirees and low birth-rates for the Canadian-born population continue to place a large emphasis on the need for skilled immigrants to build a skilled workforce.
The federal government predicts Canadian skills shortages in the next 10 years:
| Skill Types | Occupations in Shortage |
| Natural and Applied Sciences and Related Occupations | - Aerospace engineers & Other professional engineers
- Mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries
- Information systems analysts and consultants
- Database analysts and data administrators
- Software engineers and designers
- Computer programmers and interactive media developers
- Mechanical engineering technologists and technician
- Transportation officers and controllers
|
| Health Occupations | - Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
- Specialist physicians
- General practitioners and family physicians
- Dentists
- Optometrists, chiropractors and other health diagnosing and treating professionals
- Audiologists and speech-language pathologists
- Physiotherapists
- Occupational therapists & Other professional occupations in therapy and assessment
- Respiratory therapists, clinical perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists & Medical radiation technologists & Medical sonographers
- Opticians
- Practitioners of natural healing, Massage therapists & other technical occupations. In therapy and assessment
- Licensed practical nurses
|
| Occupations in Social Science, Education, Government Service and Religion | |
| Occupations in art, culture, recreation and sport | - Graphic Designer and illustrators
- Interior designers
|
| Trades Transport and Equipment Operators and Related Occupations | |
Source: ESDC 2017 COPS Projections
Useful Websites and Labour Market Resources For
Employers -
Simcoe County:
Listings including:
- Economic Development Office locations throughout Simcoe County
- Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs
- Local Libraries: Business Services
-
Simcoe Muskoka Workforce Development Board - SMWDB Labour Market Information includes recent labour market articles and reports for Simcoe County and Muskoka
Federal Resources:
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Working in Canada - A comprehensive resource for both employers and job seekers. Employers will find Labour Market Information on the following pages:
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Statistics Canada - (StatCan) provides readers with up-to-date statistical information on a full range of labour market topics. For example, employers can read about job vacancies, employment rates, commuting patterns, unions, and immigrant workers.
Provincial Resources:
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Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (TCU): TCU operates Employment Ontario, a one-stop source of information and services for students, job-seekers and employers. The ministry also plays an integral role in the area of post-secondary education for the Province of Ontario.