News release

Private Sector Employment at Record High

Finance and Treasury Board

Private sector employment has grown to over 300,000 jobs for the first time ever in Nova Scotia.

Statistics Canada figures show that in the month of September employment is up 3,200 to 466,900. The unemployment rate declined to 7.2 per cent.

During the first nine months of this year, Nova Scotia’s employment is up 11,000 compared with the same period in 2018. Most of the rise in employment is accounted for by private sector employment.

“We acknowledge the strong role of the private sector in growing full-time jobs in our province,” said Finance and Treasury Board Minister Karen Casey. “These results are unprecedented and are a further indication of healthy economic growth in Nova Scotia.”

Youth employment rose 7.9 per cent (4,700 jobs) in the first nine months of 2019 compared to the same months of 2018. The youth unemployment rate has averaged 13.3 per cent in 2019 – a drop from 16.5 per cent in the same months of 2018.

Female employment is up 2.8 per cent (6,400 jobs) year-to-date and the female unemployment rate averaged 5.7 per cent through September.

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For more information, visit: https://www.novascotia.ca/finance/statistics/news.asp?id=15211