Of the 37,000 jobs that were lost in the City of Surrey at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, about half of those positions have been recovered, according to the Surrey Board of Trade
The SBOT released its Surrey Labour Market Intelligence Report on COVID-19-related impacts Nov. 23.
The report shows that of the 37,000 jobs that were lost, approximately 17,000 have been returned. Still, there is a total net deficit, since February, of almost 20,000 jobs, SBOT reports.
The report highlights that the greatest job loss occurred in March and April, but started to make gains beginning in July.
Approximately 5,618 jobs were added in October. The greatest gains in October were seen in manufacturing; business, building and other support; education services; and accommodation and food services. The industries account for more than 77 per cent of the jobs recovered in October.
While the recovery is positive, SBOT CEO Anita Huberman said she remains cautious.
RELATED: More than 37,000 jobs lost in Surrey between February and July: board of trade
“Surrey has recovered over an estimated 17,000 jobs from July to October, but caution reigns as we move into further restrictions and lockdowns,” she said in a news release.
The greatest net loss of jobs in Surrey to date comes from sales and services occupations at 18.2 per cent since February 2020, however, a majority of this loss came between March 2020 and July 2020 (almost 32 per cent of jobs lost). Since July, over 43 per cent of jobs lost in the first five months of COVID-19 have been recovered in this sector, the report says.
The report notes that Statistics Canada has found that visible minorities have been adversely affected by COVID-19.
Compared to Caucasian participants, more visible minorities reported a strong or moderate negative financial impact of COVID-19. Visible minorities have also been reporting poorer mental health than white participants.
“The initial decrease in employment trended similarly to those of non-Indigenous identity but the employment rate among Indigenous has not recovered at the same pace as that for non-Indigenous individuals,” the report said, citing Statistics Canada.
“Indigenous men did see an increase in employment between June and August, while women saw their employment rate fall further.”
The full report can be viewed here.
