Labour Force

Employment in New Brunswick reached a record high of 334,400 in 2000. The growth in employment was 6,000 or 1.8%. Nationally, the number of employed increased by 2.6%.
The majority of employment gains were registered in full-time jobs, accounting for 85% of all jobs in New Brunswick.
While employment increased for both males and females, two-thirds of the growth was attributed to gains in the number of women employed. Men represented just over 53% of the total employed.
The number of working youths (those 15-24 years of age) decreased from last year (down 800), while employment for the age group 25 years and over was up by almost 7,000.
New Brunswick’s participation rate rose for the fourth consecutive year in 2000. It reached 61.6%, closing the gap with the national average and recording the best performance since 1976.
Employment is projected to rise by more than 1% in 2001.

The majority of New Brunswick’s employment gains in 2000 occurred in the goods producing sector (up 4,000), shifting from the service sector for the first time since 1997.
All five goods producing industries recorded employment gains in 2000. Manufacturing reported the largest increase (+1,800) followed by natural resources (+1,100). Employment in utilities was up 600, while agriculture and construction posted gains of 300 each.
Of the 11 service industries, the largest gains occurred in the management, administrative and other support industry (+1,800), and the health care and social assistance industry (+1,700). Three industries suffered job losses: other services (-2,800), information, culture and recreation (-1,200), and finance, insurance, real estate and leasing (-900). Employment in public administration was unchanged, while the remaining industries had gains of less than 1,000 each.
In 2000, the service sector employed 250,100 and the goods producing sector 84,300.

Employment growth outpaced labour force growth in 2000, causing New Brunswick’s unemployment rate to fall to 10.0%. Canada’s unemployment rate declined to 6.8%. Both unemployment rates were the lowest posted since 1976.
For the second year in a row, provincial unemployment stood at 37,300, the lowest number of unemployed since 1981. Nationally, unemployment fell by 8.4% in 2000.
Males, who comprise almost 60% of the unemployed in New Brunswick, saw their unemployment rate increase to 11.1% from 10.9% the previous year. Unemployment among females declined for the third consecutive year, with their unemployment rate falling below 9%..
Unemployment rates declined for people aged 20-44 years and rose for the other age groups.
New Brunswick’s unemployment rate in 2001 is forecast to fall below 10%.

In 2000, four regions posted employment increases ranging from 700 in Edmundston-Woodstock to 3,100 in Moncton-Richibucto. The Fredericton-Oromocto region was the only area in the province to experience a decline, down 1,400.
Unemployment rates improved in both the Campbellton-Miramichi and Moncton-Richibucto areas, while those in Saint John-St. Stephen and Fredericton-Oromocto deteriorated. The unemployment rate was unchanged for Edmundston-Woodstock.
10.9% the previous year. Unemployment among females declined for the third consecutive year, with their unemployment rate falling below 9%..
While the number of persons of working age increased in all five regions, those participating in the labour force did not. Higher participation rates were observed in four of the five regions. The Fredericton-Oromocto area saw its participation rate decline 1.4 percentage points to 63.6%. Campbellton-Miramichi, with the lowest participation rate among the regions, exhibited the largest increase (up 1.2 percentage points to 55.2%).