[ad_1]Prime Minister Mark Carney Local job numbers remained stable recently, while federal rail funding opens up new manufacturing prospects.THUNDER BAY - Canada saw a drop of 68,000 jobs in September, according to Statistics Canada on October 9, 2026. In Thunder Bay, the latest statistics present a more nuanced view: the unemployment rate decreased, but the estimated number of employed individuals stayed the same. www150. statcan. gc. caUnderstanding Thunder Bay’s Lower RateThe unemployment rate for the Thunder Bay census metropolitan area fell to 4.3 per cent in the three-month average ending in September, down from 4.7 per cent in August’s average. Employment figures remained steady at around 66,600 people. However, the labour force - those working or actively looking for work - dropped from 69,900 to 69,600. This data sheds light on why the unemployment rate is lower: as the workforce shrank, employment levels stayed constant. Compared to last year, employment estimates have decreased by 1,100 people or 1.6 per cent. These numbers are seasonally adjusted and represent three-month averages for the metropolitan area; they should not be directly compared to standalone counts from September at a national level.National Job Declines Affect Young Workers and Key SectorsNationwide, September's job loss followed an earlier decrease of about 42,000 jobs in August. The national unemployment rate increased slightly to 6.5 per cent from 6.4 per cent. Youths aged 15 to 24 were particularly affected with a loss of 48,000 jobs. By sector, employment fell by 35,000 in education, by 23,000 in health care and social assistance and by 13,000 in manufacturing. In Ontario specifically, employment dipped by about 20,000 with an unemployment rate that remained relatively stable at 7.0 per cent. The broader national industry trends don't necessarily reflect similar actions taken by employers in Thunder Bay; they illustrate changes across Canada instead. The Conservative Opposition has placed blame squarely on the current Liberal government. “Conservatives will fight for you,” Poilievre stated in a message directed towards Canadians impacted by this reported decline. “Our Economic Action Plan will boost hiring and save jobs.”A Rail Investment Offers Hope for Thunder BayThis national drop in manufacturing comes just after Ottawa announced significant rail investments involving Thunder Bay’s Alstom plant. On September 3rd , Prime Minister Mark Carney revealed over $4.7 billion allocated for VIA Rail to purchase and maintain 313 passenger cars from Alstom Canada. The manufacturing and assembly will occur in both Thunder Bay and La Pocatière , Quebec , with design work based out of Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville , Quebec. The federal government reports that this investment is set to support nearly 700 jobs across Ontario and Quebec combined-not just limited to Thunder Bay alone. A local analysis indicates that this rail program presents a clear opportunity for manufacturing growth within Thunder Bay. How it impacts overall job numbers will depend on when projects move forward and how staffing evolves as work begins. The survey conducted in September doesn’t account for jobs linked specifically to this contract. [ad_2]Source link
