Job growth ups 11% in Vancouver in five years

StatCan release - Employment in Vancouver reached 1,104,800 in 2006, a gain of 11.0% from 2001, acording to the latest census data. This was faster than the 9.6% growth rate from 1996 to 2001.

Of the three largest census metropolitan areas (CMA), i.e. Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver, Vancouver had the highest employment growth between 2001 and 2006.

In 2006, 63.0% of Vancouver’s working-age population was employed, up from 61.4% in 2001. The CMA’s unemployment rate fell from 7.2% to 5.6%.

Despite this growth, employment in computer and periphery equipment manufacturing fell by an average of 16.6% annually from 2001 to 2006—the sharpest decline for this industry of the big three CMAs.

Labour force activity
	Ttl LF activity	In LF	EMP	UNEMP	Not in LF	P%	EM%	UM%
	25,664,220	17,146,135	16,021,180	1,124,960	8,518,090	66.8	62.4	6.6
No postsec	12,651,750	7,120,690	6,503,455	617,235	5,531,060	56.3	51.4	8.7
Postsec	13,012,475	10,025,440	9,517,725	507,715	2,987,030	77	73.1	5.1
Inside Canada	10,948,470	8,615,450	8,203,175	412,275	2,333,025	78.7	74.9	4.8
Outside Cda	2,064,000	1,409,995	1,314,550	95,445	654,005	68.3	63.7	6.8
USA	291,115	206,130	196,885	9,240	84,985	70.8	67.6	4.5
UK	235,465	133,705	128,300	5,410	101,755	56.8	54.5	4
India	161,555	126,970	117,315	9,655	34,590	78.6	72.6	7.6
Philippines	160,555	130,090	124,695	5,390	30,460	81	77.7	4.1
PRC	142,880	97,575	88,535	9,040	45,305	68.3	62	9.3
Germany	65,485	25,505	24,285	1,215	39,980	38.9	37.1	4.8
France	56,595	41,685	39,065	2,620	14,910	73.7	69	6.3
Poland	53,660	41,195	39,515	1,685	12,465	76.8	73.6	4.1
Pakistan	52,195	35,395	31,690	3,700	16,800	67.8	60.7	11
S Korea	43,895	25,585	23,435	2,150	18,315	58.3	53.4	8.4
Other	800,600	546,165	500,835	45,330	254,435	68.2	62.6	8.3

EMP = EMPLOYED
UNEMP = UNEMPLOYED
P% = PARTICIPATION RATE
EM% = EMPLOYMENT RATE
UM% = UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
LF = LABOUR FORCE

On the plus side, the building boom in Vancouver more than offset declines. The construction industry added 21,000 workers during this five-year period, an average annual increase of 7.3%, the fastest gain among all metropolitan areas. This took Vancouver’s construction workforce to 70,500. The other industries that saw large job gains between 2001 and 2006 include professional, scientific and technical services (up by 16,825), accommodation and food Services (10,745), retail trade (8,765) and educational services (8,590).

The number of real estate lessors—those who rent out or lease residential dwellings or non-residential property— increased by 2,000, or 6.7% on average each year, the strongest growth of the three big CMAs.

Three in 10 adults had a university degree

Just under 800,000 adults aged 25 to 64 in Vancouver CMA were postsecondary graduates in 2006. They accounted for two-thirds (66%) of the adult population in this age group.

More than 370,000 adults in this age group (31%) had a university degree, up from 26% in 2001. About 19% had a college diploma and 9% had a trades certificate in 2006.

Slightly more than 245,000 postsecondary graduates between 25 and 64 in Vancouver studied outside Canada. They accounted for 31% of the postsecondary-educated population of the CMA. An additional 14% of this population, about 112,400, studied in provinces and territories other than British Columbia.

Among those who studied outside Canada, an estimated 33,000 (13%) studied in China, 12%, in the Philippines and 11%, in the United States.

Of the adult population that attained its highest postsecondary education in another province, 42% studied in Ontario, and 21%, in Alberta.

Highest use of non-official languages at work among allophones in the country

In Vancouver, the use of languages other than English or French at work is the highest in Canada among allophone immigrants (18% most often, 16% regularly). Just over one out of two workers whose mother tongue was Chinese or Korean reported using a language other than English or French at work, compared to 40% of those whose mother tongue was Punjabi in 2006.