The ability to find work that pays a living wage is an important attribute of any community.

• Unemployment Rate
• Participation Rate
• Increase in the Employment Level
• Part-time Workers
• Median Hourly Earnings
• Other

Note: Unless otherwise indicated, references to "Kitchener" refer to the Kitchener Census Metropolitan Area (CMA).

Unemployment Rate

Unemployment Rate CMAs, April 2007

Kitchener 5.7

Source: Economic Trend Analysis, CTT, November 2006

Table IX-1: Employment Rate (15+) in Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Region, 1998-2006

Source: Statistics Canada. Cansim Table 282-0053, Cansim series v2356830, v2356835, v2356836, v2356837, v2356839, v2356844, v2356848, v2356849, v2356851, v2356852

At 67.7 per cent in 2006, Kitchener had an employment rate equal to 108 per cent of the national rate and 107 per cent of the provincial rate. The rate was down by 0.3 per cent since 1987 and was at the highest point in the 20 year series.

Table IX-2: Unemployment Rate (15+) in Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Region, 1998-2006

Source Statistics Canada. Cansim Table 282-0053,Cansim series v2356780, v2356785, v2356786, v2356787, v2356789, v2356794, v2356798, v2356799, v2356801, v2356802, v26616472, v26616607, v26616661.

In 2006 the unemployment rate in Kitchener was 5.2 per cent. This was slightly below both the national and Ontario provincial levels (both 6.3 per cent).Since 1987 the unemployment rate in Kitchener has decreased 0.6 percentage points from 5.8 per cent.

Appendix Table IX-3: Employment (15+) in Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1998-2006

Source: For employment data: Statistics Canada, Cansim Table 282-0053, Cansim series v2356655, v2356660, v2356661, v2356662, v2356664, v2356669, v2356673, v2356674, v2356676, v2356677

National Comparisons (PDF)

• Table IX-1: Employment Rate (15+) in Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Region, 1987-2006
• Appendix Table IX-3: Employment (15+) in Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1987-2006
• Table IX-2: Unemployment Rate (15+) in Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Region, 1987-2006

Participation Rate

Participation Rate, April 2007

Kitchener 70.5

Source: Economic Trend Analysis, CTT, November 2006

Increase in the Employment Level

% Employment Change, 1996-2005 (CMAs)
Kitchener 26

Source: Economic Trend Analysis, CTT, November 2006

Table IX-3: Employment Growth in Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Region, 1997-2006

Source: Statistics Canada, Cansim Table 2820053 and 2820055. Employment growth calculated by CSLS.

With employment growth of 0.6 per cent in 2006, Kitchener saw growth below the national rate of 1.9 as well as the provincial rate of 1.5. The rate also fell below the average growth of 2.0 per cent over 1987-2006.

National Comparisons (PDF)

• Table IX-3: Employment Growth in Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Region, 1988-2006

Part-time Workers

Table IX-6: Involuntary Part-Time Workers for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997, 2006

The proportion of the total workers that were involuntary part-time workers in Kitchener in 2006 was 3.7 per cent. This is down from 5.9 per cent in 1997. The 2006 proportion of involuntary part-time workers for the city of Kitchener is 16 per cent lower than the national average (4.3 per cent) and 19 per cent lower than the provincial average (4.5 per cent).

Appendix Table IX-6-viii: Involuntary Part-time Workers who Looked for Employment, Percent Shares in Total Employment for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions 1997-2006

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, program A050704.

Appendix Table IX-6-i: Part-time Workers by Vital Signs CMA and Economic Region, 1997-2006, in thousands

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, program A050704.

Appendix Table IX-6-ii: Total Involuntary Part-time Employment by Vital Signs CMA and Economic Region, in thousands 1997-2006

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, available by special request program A050720

Appendix Table IX-6-iii: Involuntary Part-time Workers who looked for Employment by Vital Signs CMA and Economic Region, 1997-2006

(thousands)

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, program A050704.

Appendix Table IX-6-iv: Involuntary Part-time Workers who did not look for Employment, in thousands, for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, available by special request program A050720

Appendix Table IX-6-v: Involuntary Part-Time Employment as a Percentage of Total Part-time Workers for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, available by special request program A050720

Appendix Table IX-6-vi: Part-Time Workers, Per cent Shares in Total Workers, for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, available by special request program A050720

Appendix Table IX-6-vii: Involuntary Part-Time Workers, Per cent Shares in Total Workers, for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, available by special request program A050720

Appendix Table IX-6-viii: Involuntary Part-time Workers who Looked for Employment, Percent Shares in Total Employment for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions 1997-2006

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, program A050704.

Appendix Table IX-6-ix: Involuntary Part-Time Workers that did not Look for Full-Time Employment, Percent Shares in Total Workers for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, available by special request program A050720

Appendix Table IX-6-a-x: Involuntary Part-time Workers who looked for Full-time, Per cent of Total Part-Time Workers, for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, program A050704.

Table IX-6-xi: Involuntary Part-Time Workers who did Not Look for Full-Time Employment, Percent Shares in Total Part-Time Employment for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, available by special request program A050720

National Comparisons (PDF)

• Appendix Table IX-6-i: Part-time Workers by Vital Signs CMA and Economic Region, 1997-2006, in thousands
• Appendix Table IX-6-ii: Total Involuntary Part-time Employment by Vital Signs CMA and Economic Region, in thousands 1997-2006
• Appendix Table IX-6-iii: Involuntary Part-time Workers who looked for Employment by Vital Signs CMA and Economic Region, 1997-2006
• Appendix Table IX-6-iv: Involuntary Part-time Workers who did not look for Employment, in thousands, for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006
• Appendix Table IX-6-v: Involuntary Part-Time Employment as a Percentage of Total Part-time Workers for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions
• Appendix Table IX-6-vi: Part-Time Workers, Per cent Shares in Total Workers, for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006
• Appendix Table IX-6-vii: Involuntary Part-Time Workers, Per cent Shares in Total Workers, for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006
• Appendix Table IX-6-viii: Involuntary Part-time Workers that Looked for Full-Time Employment, Per cent Shares in Total Workers for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006
• Appendix Table IX-6-ix: Involuntary Part-time Workers that did not Look for Full-Time Employment, Per cent Shares in Total Workers for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006
• Appendix Table IX-6-a-x: Involuntary Part-time Workers who looked for Full-time, Per cent of Total Part-Time Workers, for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006
• Appendix Table IX-6-xi: Involuntary Part-Time Workers who did Not Look for Full-Time Employment, Percent Shares in Total Part-Time Employment for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006

Median Hourly Earnings

Table IX-4-b: Average and Median Hourly Earnings (in current dollars) for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 2006

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, special request, program A050717

Appendix Table IX-4-b-i: Median Hourly Earnings (in current dollars) in Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, special request A050721

Appendix Table IX-4-b-ii: Average Hourly Earnings (in current dollars) in Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, program A050717

National Comparisons (PDF)

• Table IX-4-a: Average Earnings in 2000 for working full year full-time in Vital Signs Communities
• Table IX-4-b: Average and Median Hourly Earnings (in current dollars) for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions 1997-2006
• Appendix Table IX-4-b-i: Median Hourly Earnings (in current dollars) in Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006
• Appendix Table IX-4-b-ii: Average Hourly Earnings (in current dollars) in Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997-2006

Other

Table IX-5: Business Birth Rates and Employment Share of New Businesses in Vital Signs Communities, 2000

Note: "Birth Rates" refer to the portion of businesses started between 1995 and 2000 inclusive that existed in 2000. These firms are then defined as "new firms".
Source: Statistics Canada paper. Bordt, Michael, Sudip Das, Andrew Heisz and Sébastien Larochelle-Côté. Trends and Conditions in Census Metropolitan Areas: Labour Markets, Business Activity, and Population Growth and Mobility in Canadian CMAs. Page 64, table 6.1. Based on data from Longitudinal Employment Analysis Program, Small Area File.

The proportion of businesses started between 1995 and 2000 that existed in 2000 was 50.2 for the city of Kitchener. This is 2 percent higher than the average for the Vital Signs CMAs (49.1).

National Comparisons (PDF)

• Table IX-5: Business Birth Rates and Employment Share of New Businesses in Vital Signs Communities, 2000
• Table IX-6: Involuntary Part-Time Workers for Vital Signs CMAs and Economic Regions, 1997, 2006