[thistleclub]

Not brand-new and kind of grain-of-salty but still noteworthy.

Coalition Urges Jobs As Ontario Election Issue [Steve Arnold, Hamilton Spectator, June 28 2011]

In Hamilton, a first glance at Statistics Canada figures for the area suggest the local economy has held its own during the recession — between 2008 and 2010 the area’s labour grew from 397,500 to 402,500 while the number of local people employed fell only slightly from 373,100 to 371,800. Behind those numbers.... is a more frightening picture.

During those same three years the number of full-time jobs in the Grimsby-Hamilton-Burlington area increased by only 3,300. The number of people classed as “employees” fell by almost 21,000, the number of “permanent” employees fell by 16,400 and the number of people calling themselves self-employed rose by almost 21,000. In addition, between 2004 and 2010 Hamilton lost 23,000 manufacturing jobs, and even though it gained 29,600 health care and service sector positions, most of the new jobs were part-time, temporary and low paid.