‘Rollercoaster’ ride: Are Windsor’s jobs gains sustainable?

The Welcome to Windsor sign on Riverside Drive in Windsor, Ont., on Sunday, May 3, 2020. (Melanie Borrelli / CTV Windsor)

Recent jobs data released by Statistics Canada is being considered the best employment figures ever recorded for Windsor-Essex.

According to Statistics Canada, about 246,300 people were employed in Windsor in November – a new record for the region. From October to November, the unemployment rate fell by 1.5 percentage points to 8.1 per cent.

Justin Falconer, the CEO of Workforce Windsor-Essex, told CTV News the region also set a record for manufacturing workers in the community, and saw an uptick in youth employment.

“Having these strong employment numbers right now is very encouraging,” Falconer said Saturday morning.

Throughout the year, Windsor has endured a “rollercoaster” ride, Falconer said, which centered around U.S. President Donald Trump’s economic policy, including tariffs.

Since posting Canada’s highest unemployment rate earlier this year among Canadian cities, Windsor now ranks 10th.

Falconer points to return of the return of a third shift at the Windsor Assembly Plant alongside the completion of the Nexstar Energy Battery Plant as key drivers in the economy.

“If you’re unemployed right now, these numbers are not that encouraging to you. But hopefully this means that the conditions for finding and securing work are getting better,” he said.

The largest gains by sector were in health care and social assistance, with assistant positions for dental, pharmacies, and medical laboratories opening up.

Ahead of the holiday season, Falconer noted the increase in new jobs will encourage other businesses to hire more staff, particularly in the service and retail industries.

“People go out to eat; they buy more retail. They shop more. They’ll clean their windows. They just purchase services that they may not otherwise would have,” Falconer said.

When asked about the economic momentum, Falconer noted Windsor-Essex is “not out of the woods” with ongoing trade uncertainty lingering.

He noted Windsor would benefit from another major construction project with the completion of the battery plant and the opening of the Gordie Howe Bridge early next year.