Timmins local labour market growing.

• Author: TOFFANELLO, MARY
• Position: Ontario - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Data suggests employment opportunities have improved significantly during the past year

Mining headframes and logging trucks stand out across the Timmins landscape and speak to the ongoing predominance of natural resource industries in the city.

Equally important to the strength of the city's economy, however, is its well-developed health, education, retail and wholesale trade infrastructure which has made Timmins a service centre for the wider region of surrounding communities.

Labour force survey estimates are not available on a monthly, or yearly basis for communities the size of Timmins due to the small sample sizes in Statistics Canada's monthly Labour Force Survey.

For this reason, we look at the estimates published for a much larger area -- northeastern. Ontario (Economic. Region 590) -- to analyze labour market trends.

Over the past five years, employment conditions in Northeastern Ontario were relatively stable, with employment growth of less than 1 percent between 1995 and 1999.

At the same time, there Was a slight reduction in the Region's unemployment rate, which fell from 10.5 per cent in 1995 to 9.9 per cent in 1999.

Job creation was centered in the services-producing industries, with strong growth recorded in accommodation and food services, and in trade.

This has been a welcome trend across northeastern Ontario, given the declining employment prospects in the goods sector, particularly in forestry, fishing, mining, oil and gas.

This year the pattern of employment growth is the same, and the pace of that growth has quickened.

In August northeastern Ontario employment reached its highest level in five years, with healthy year-to-date gains on the services-producing side of the economy.

The Timmins experience this year largely reflects the northeastern Ontario record. Most of the major employment sectors have been stable since the spring, and there have been some positive project announcements along with signs of improving conditions in the service sector.

Tourism is gaining a higher profile in Timmins with the success of the Gold Mine Tour. This industry will receive an added boost from the recently-announced project to develop an $11-million Shania Twain Interpretive Centre at the Gold Mine Tour site.

The retail sector has expanded over the last decade as Timmins has grown as a shopping destination for the far northeastern region.

There is little vacant space at Timmins Square, the major retail mall. A newcomer, Taco Bell...