Labour Force Survey, May 2013, published June 7
Employment in May was up 0.5% from April. The unemployment rate dropped from 7.2% in April to 7.1% in May. Construction employment grew by 3.3% from April while manufacturing employment decreased 0.8% from a month earlier. In May, employment stood at 17.7 million, up 1.4% from May 2012. Full-time employment grew by 76,700 from April, while part-time employment increased by 18,200 from the previous month. Full-time employment was up by 258,800 from May 2012, while part-time decreased by 8,700 over the same period. Employment over the past year grew in eight provinces, led by Prince Edward...
Read MoreBuilding Permits, April 2013, published June 5
Municipalities issued $7.0 billion worth of building permits in April, up 10.5% from March and 5.4% higher than in April 2012. Fine provinces reported a growth in permits over a year ago led by New Brunswick (+83.4%) British Columbia (+13.4%), and Alberta (+10.0%). Double-digit annualized decreases over April 2012 occurred in three provinces. Prince Edward Island suffered the largest loss (-51.4%) followed by Manitoba (-24.9%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (-23.1%). Quebec experienced a 9.1% decline while Ontario gained 9.9%. Builders took out residential building permits worth $4.4...
Read MoreHardlines Acquires Outstanding Retailer Awards
TORONTO, June 3, 2013 — Canada’s premier awards program for home improvement dealers has a new home. The Outstanding Retailer Awards (ORAs) are now owned and managed by Hardlines Inc. Hardlines, which publishes the quarterly hardware/home improvement trade magazine Hardlines Home Improvement Quarterly (HHIQ) and the weekly e-newsletter HARDLINES, has purchased the awards from Hardware Merchandising. The annual ORAs began in 1992 to recognize excellence in merchandising and retail performance. The ORA ceremony has been held during the Hardlines Conference for the past decade. This spring,...
Read MoreSPANCAN Announces New Board of Directors
May 27, 2013 (Ajax, ON) – Spancan Corporation is pleased to announce the following changes to its Board of Directors: President: Tim Urquhart, TIM-BR MART Group VP & Treasurer: Andrew Battagliotti, ILDC Director: Stew Valcour, Kent – ILDC Director: Ron Healey, Federated Co-op Director: René Labrecque, La Coop fédérée Spancan is a hardlines buying group with members across Canada: Independent Lumber Dealers Co-operative, TIM-BR MART Group/Chalifour Canada, Federated Co-operatives Ltd. and La Coop fédérée Ltée. Formed in 1999, the group has grown to become the...
Read MoreRetail Trade, March 2013, published May 22
Retail sales in March 2013 were $39.5 billion, unchanged from February and up 1.1% from March 2012. Excluding sales by motor vehicle and parts dealers and by gasoline stations, retail sales were up by 0.8% from March 2012. After removing the effects of price changes, particularly lower gasoline prices, retail sales in volume terms were up 0.7% from February. Increases in month-over-month sales were reported in 6 of 11 sectors representing 47% of total retail sales. Total retail sales for the first three months of 2013 were $118.3 billion, up 1.1% over the same period last year. Sales in...
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