Local experts, business owners shed light on Windsor unemployment survey results
Windsor’s unemployment rate rose a half per cent in November, according to the Statistics Canada labour force survey.
That gives the Rose City the highest percentage of unemployment across the country.
June Muir, CEO of the UHC Hub of Opportunities, points to two factors that could have contributed to the half-percent rise in unemployment in Windsor last month.
“Our job developer Andrea said that most employers are only looking for part-time workers,” she said.
Muir added that another factor is current lay offs at Stellantis.
“I don't know if those numbers count and then of course there's a lot of spin off jobs that are affected by that,” Muir said.
The half percent rise is surprising for a mother of a Tecumseh, Ont. business owner.
“My daughter has a new business in Tecumseh. It's a vegan restaurant called Copper Branch. She's been advertising for people and she's not getting anybody coming in looking for jobs,” explained Sue Furtado.
Muir said barriers, including transportation, language and child care, could also be playing into the high unemployment rate.
The labour force survey shows Windsor's unemployment rate at 7.6 per cent, which tops in Canada ahead of St. Catharine's-Niagara and Oshawa at 7.3 percent.
Muir however is optimistic the region won't be at the top of the list for long with the battery plant and supply chain jobs coming to the region.
“I think our future we're gonna see more jobs that are full-time decent playing jobs,” she said.
Entrepreneurs like Alex Merryfield hope to contribute to the rise of region's economy.
His waffle truck was at the 20th anniversary celebration of Savvy Boutique where Merryfield said he'd like to expand his catering business.
“Absolutely, this is our first year. We've had a lot help from friends and family and hopefully in the next year I can employ a couple of people in the city,” said Merryfield.
In the meantime, Muir is hopeful people can help support those in need.
She said visits to the food bank are up 22 per cent compared to last year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Guilty: Trump becomes first former U.S. president convicted of felony crimes
Donald Trump became the first former American president to be convicted of felony crimes Thursday as a New York jury found him guilty of all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex.
Can Trump come to Canada now that he's a convicted felon?
A Canadian immigration lawyer says now that Donald Trump is a convicted felon, he is technically barred from crossing the border into Canada.
Montreal tech billionaire charged with several sex offences
Robert Miller was charged Thursday with several sexual assault charges after Montreal police reopened an investigation into the tech billionaire.
Police: 3 killed, including suspected gunman, in Minneapolis shooting
Three people, including the suspected gunman, are dead after a shooting Thursday at a Minneapolis apartment complex, police said.
'Why didn't they stop?' Mom asks of driver in hit-and-run crash that killed son
The mother of a 13-year-old boy who was killed in a hit-and-run in Edmonton is begging the driver to come forward.
The northern lights are returning to night skies across Canada this Friday
If you missed the brilliant displays of the aurora borealis over North America on May 10, you may have another chance to see them on Friday night.
A pair enjoyed pricey meals and bolted when it was time to pay. Their dine and dash ended in jail
A Welsh couple who dined out on pricey meals and bolted when the bill came is now paying the price, behind bars.
$400K in damages for B.C. woman who had unnecessary mastectomy was 'inordinately high,' court finds
A jury's award of $400,000 to a woman who had a mastectomy after being misdiagnosed with breast cancer has been substantially reduced by B.C.'s highest court, which found the damages were "wholly disproportionate."