2011
Economic News - The job market seems steadier this fall than it was in the summer. This trend has also been observed across Canada. The region had a total of 430,800 jobs in November, down slightly compared with October (-200). However, the year-over-year record is positive, with a gain of 5,800 jobs since November 2010. In addition, the demand for workers is still quite high, as evidenced by the low unemployment rate in November (4.5%).
Economic News - In contrast with the past few months, employment growth slowed in October in the Quebec City census metropolitan area, as it did across the country. However, the number of workers in the Quebec City region dropped by only 100 compared with September to a total of 431,000, a new record. In addition, the slowdown in October did not prevent Quebec City from maintaining its positive year-over-year record, with 8,000 new jobs created since October 2010.
Economic News - The Quebec City census metropolitan area (CMA) gained distinction for the third month in a row in the area of employment growth, with 10,000 jobs added from August to September. Thanks to this fine performance, the region recorded the strongest employment growth in Canada, finishing off the third quarter with 431,100 workers, up 25,800 from the previous quarter.
Economic News - Real GDP grew by 2.2% in the first half of 2011 in the Quebec City CMA, hitting a new record of $26.1 billion. The region continued to grow despite the many financial, climatic and geopolitical constraints that affected the global economy during the first six months of the year.
Economic News - The Quebec City region kept the pedal to the metal in August as it recorded the highest job creation rate in Canada for the second straight month, adding 6,600 workers since July, for a total of 421,100, and outgunning Edmonton (+5,800), London (+3,300) and Calgary (+3,200). This fine showing also helped keep the unemployment rate under the 5% mark.
Economic News - The Quebec City CMA kicked off the summer period with a bang, recording the highest job creation rate in Canada; 9,200 jobs were created since June, for a total of 414,500 workers. The increase in the number of workers (+2.3%) offset the increase in the active population (+0.1%), thereby bringing the unemployment rate down to 4.8%—the lowest in Canada.
Economic News - The gain of 300 jobs recorded in June put an end to a string of six consecutive monthly declinesand helped bring the unemployment rate back under the 6% mark (5.8% in June). Based on theJune results, the labour market in the Quebec City CMA has gained a significant number of jobsin the past year: the region finished off the first half of 2011 with 408,200 jobs, for a year-on-yearincrease of 8,600 jobs.
Economic News - The Quebec City and Chaudière-Appalaches regions generated an all-time high of $10.2 billion in investments in 2010. Both regions recorded average annualized growth of 9.4% over the past five years (compared with +5.4% in the province of Quebec), propelling them into fourth place in the province. Abitibi-Témiscamingue (+22.1%) and the North Coast (+16.5%), ranked number one and two respectively, benefited in particular from projects in the mining and hydroelectric sectors.
Economic News - Once again, the labour market in the Quebec City CMA sent out mixed signals in May. On the one hand, the region was home to 405,000 workers last month, up from 399,700 in May 2010. This annual gain of 5,300 jobs was largely based on the performance of the construction sector. Some service areas also remained robust, including professional, scientific and technical services; financial and insurance services; and hotel and restaurant services.
Economic News - Consumers and businesses started off 2011 on the right foot in the Quebec City census metropolitan area. The data made public by the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcies reveal that 500 consumers and businesses filed for bankruptcy in the first quarter, down 15 compared with the same period last year. The region had not recorded so few bankruptcies since 2005. In addition, this was a significant improvement over the 697 bankruptcies recorded in the first quarter of 2009.
