Huron Expositor, 2015-02-11, Page 11Wednesday, February 11, 2015 • Huron Expositor 11
Counties of Bruce, United Way campaign still
Grey, Huron and shy of hitting $1.17 million
Perth lose 800 jobs
Marco Vigliotti
Huron Expositor
It was an underwhelming
start to the year for the econ-
omy of rural midwestern
Ontario, with Bruce, Grey,
Huron and Perth counties
shedding 1,000 jobs in January,
according to new statistics from
the Four County Labour Market
Planning Board.
The job losses pushed the
regional unemployment rate to
5.1 per cent from 4.3 per cent.
Of the jobs lost, 200 were full-
time positions, with the other
600 part-time jobs, the labour
market monitoring body said in
a press release distributed
Friday.
The monthly decline, how-
ever, obscures a relatively robust
year for employment in the Four
County area, which has gained
roughly 4,000 jobs between Jan-
uary 2014 and January 2015,
according to the board.
"Over the 12 months to Janu-
ary, Stratford -Bruce Peninsula
mirrored the labour market
behaviour of the province with a
declining unemployment rate,"
read a statement from the
group, using an alternative
name for the Four County
region. "However, the local
unemployment rate has contin-
ued to be lower than that of
Ontario."
The labour market participa-
tion rate in the Four County area
increased over the past year, ris-
ing from 64.4 per cent in 2014 to
65.5 per cent in the first month
of 2015, the board said.
The participation rate in
Ontario decreased by a similar
margin, falling from 65.4 per
cent in 2014 to 64.7 per cent in
January.
The labour market increase
should prove beneficial for area
businesses, who now have a
deeper talent pool of candidates
to hire from, said Gemme Men-
dez -Smith with the Planning
Board.
"As people participate in the
labour market our unemploy-
ment rate has increased. In
recent surveys and local conver-
sation with Employment
Ontario service providers
employers have indicated their
need for workers," she said in a
prepared statement. "With an
increased participation rate
employers have more potential
candidates to fill positions."
According to board figures,
the Four County region has seen
a net increase of business by 476
between June 2013 and June
2014.
Finding qualified candidates,
however, remains a major issue
for local employers, the board
said in a release, referencing a
study it conducted in March
2014 that found roughly 50 per
cent of area businesses had to
go outside the region to find
skilled workers.
Mendez -Smith pointed to the
new joint Canada -Ontario Job
Grant as an initiative that could
bolster the number of skilled
workers in the area.
The program provides funds
for employers to train existing
staff and new hires in hopes of
bolstering the skill level of the
workforce and lessen some of
the hiring challenges currently
experienced by employers.
Applications are being
accepted for the program, which
also requires a contribution
from employers.
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United Way Perth -Huron is
making one last push to try to
reach its 2014 campaign goal of
$1.17 million.
The charity shared that funds
have continued to roll in, but is
still not enough to close the antic-
ipated gap of $40,000.
"We launched the campaign
with an ambitious goal of $1.17
million, and that goal is definitely
within reach," said chief John
Bates, the 2014 campaign co-
chair. "We know that this year's
total will continue to grow as peo-
ple make donations online or by
phone and contribute to work-
place campaigns running
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throughout February."
Applications for funding have
increased, which according to
United Way Perth -Huron's execu-
tive director Ryan Erb, "under-
scores the importance of every
donor, and every dollar." The
charity supports nearly 50 agen-
cies, projects and programs in
Perth and Huron.
The high points of the cam-
paign included large increases
from workplaces such as Hen-
drickson Spring, The Huron Perth
Healthcare Alliance, Dyna-Mig
Inc. and Curtis Wright. The big-
gest challenges included other
workplace campaigns dropping
drastically and the Snow Bird
event in September, which was
affected significantly by challeng-
ing weather.
"Overall, it has been a pretty
successful campaign," said Wayne
Smith, campaign co-chair. "We
just want to be able to share as
much as possible with our agency
partners, as they are why we cam-
paign as passionately as we do':
The campaign officially ended
Dec. 15, 2014 but the charity will
continue accepting donations
until March 31, 2015. Donations
can be made by calling 519-271-
7730 or online at www.perthhu-
ron.unitedway.ca.
Jr 1 lair.) -~-I ): Fh Catholic
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Entering Secondary School in September 2015?
Consider a Catholic Secondary Education
at
St. Michael Catholic Secondary School
240 Oakdale Avenue
STRATFORD ON N5A 7W2
Phone: 519-271-0890
Dan Peters, Principal (ext. 1231)
http://smcss.hpcdsb.edu.on.ca
Open to all Perth County students.
St. Anne's Catholic Secondary School
P.O. Box 490
CLINTON ON NOM 1L0
Phone: 519-482-5454
Jodi Kuran, Principal (ext. 108)
http://sacss.hpcdsb.edu.on.ca
Open to all Huron County students.
The Catholic secondary schools of Huron and Perth Counties offer:
• Religious Education and Social Justice opportunities, based on Catholic Christian teachings for all
students.
• A full, rich program of academics, the arts, French Immersion, Co-operative Education, and Ontario
Youth Apprenticeship opportunities.
• A diverse program of co-curriculur opportunities with "late buses" running throughout our counties
after the regular bus routes.
• Modern, well-equipped educational facilities, including up-to-date technology education facilities.
• Government -recognized High Skills Majors in Energy, Arts and Culture, Construction Technology,
Agricultural Technology, and more to come.
• Academic achievement which is near the best in the province in Grade 10 Literacy, course pass rates,
and graduation rates.
Our secondary schools are open to all students desiring a Catholic secondary education. Please
check us out -- this might be for you!
For your copy of our "Entering Secondary School" Guide, go to
www.huronperthcatholic.ca and click on "Getting Ready for Secondary School".
Bernard Murray
Chairperson
BOARD MISSION STATEMENT
We are a Catholic School Board. We serve our
students, working with the home, parish and school
community to:
• Nurture a Christ -centred environment;
• Provide student -focused learning opportunities;
• Support the growth of the whole person.
Vince MacDonald
Director of Education