The survey found a seasonally adjusted net employment outlook of 6%, which is an eight percentage point decrease from the second quarter. This measure shows the percentage of employers expecting total employment to increase minus the percentage expecting total employment to decrease.
On a national level, the net employment outlook was found to be 8%, a one percentage point increase.
“Nationally, the overall tone for the third quarter is one of cautious optimism,” said Darlene Minatel, Manpower Canada’s vice president of operations and strategic accounts. “While the economy is still recovering from the effects of low oil prices, we’re seeing slow but steady job growth in many urban areas across the country, a positive sign for the months ahead.”
Job prospects are strongest in the public administration sector with a net employment outlook of 18%, which is an increase of four percentage points. The finance, insurance and real estate sector reported an outlook of 17%, a 10 percentage point increase.
Victoria reported a 7 percentage point decrease in its net employment outlook for this quarter with 5%.
Compared with the previous quarter, outlooks for municipalities in the Lower Mainland outside Vancouver include:
-Burnaby and Coquitlam: 12%, up three percentage points;
-Richmond: 6%, down eight percentage points; and
-Surrey: 14%, up three percentage points.
Large companies, defined as those with 250 or more employees, and medium-sized companies (50-249 employees) reported net employment outlooks of 22% and 11%, respectively – a one percentage point increase from last quarter. The outlook for small companies (10-49 employees) remained the same this quarter at 6%.
