Surrey’s latest labour market report produced by the Surrey Board of Trade indicates that in October the city’s economic recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic was driven by the health care, natural resources, public administration and tech sectors.
The natural resources sector has seen a recovery of 43.1 per cent in Surrey since February 2020, gaining some 1,300 jobs while manufacturing in Surrey has increased by roughly 1,100 jobs since before the pandemic, with an increase of 4.2 per cent.
Anita Huberman, CEO of the board, said six private colleges have joined her organization in the past three weeks as a shortage of skilled labour continues in the city.
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“Many other goods and services sectors in Surrey remain impacted and below February 2020 employment levels,” she said.
Anita Huberman, CEO of the Surrey Board of Trade. (File photo)
Surrey’s construction sector, on the other hand, continues to lag in its jobs recovery, the report states, with “high-touch, large-group accommodation and food services” jobs being roughly 1,400 jobs lower than pre-pandemic times and jobs related to arts and culture also remain below pre-pandemic levels.
Construction-driven trades, transport and equipment operation work remains almost 10,000 jobs below February 2020, impacted by a lagging recovery of the transportation sector in Surrey.
Sectors showing the greatest recovery since February 2020 in Surrey are health care and social assistance, up almost by over 5,400 jobs or 16 per cent, while public administration employment is up over 4,000 jobs or 43 per cent in Surrey. The report states wholesale and retail trade has rebounded by six per cent with almost 3,100 new jobs for a increase, and professional, scientific and technical businesses in Surrey are up by 8.2 per cent or more than 1,600 jobs.
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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