P.E.I. is among a handful of provinces that saw the number of unfilled private-sector jobs increase in the second quarter of 2019.
According to a report recently released by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), P.E.I. had approximately 1,000 unfilled positions – a 0.2-per-cent increase compared to the first quarter of 2019. Those 1,000 unfilled positions amount to a 2.2 per cent vacancy rate.
Quebec led the way in Canada with a 3.9-per-cent vacancy rate and 116,000 unfilled jobs in the second quarter of 2019.
In Atlantic Canada, New Brunswick had 7,400 unfilled positions followed by Nova Scotia (7,100) and Newfoundland and Labrador (3,000).
Overall, Canada had 429,000 unfilled private sector positions – 23,000 more than the second quarter of 2018.
“Job vacancy rates advanced in five provinces and remained stable or declined slightly in the other five last quarter, although Quebec, British Columbia and Ontario continue to drive the trend. We’re also seeing a strong pressure to increase wages in those firms that had vacant positions,” said Ted Mallett, CFIB’s vice-president and chief economist, in a press release. “While this rate of job vacancies can be a sign of a growing economy, we don’t want labour shortages to become an obstacle to business success. CFIB is asking all parties to commit to measures tackling the labour shortage in the upcoming federal election.”
