City of Vaughan

Key Highlights

• The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 5.9 per cent year-over-year in January.
• The national unemployment rate remains steady at 5.0 per cent in February.
• Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) decreased slightly by 0.1 per cent in December.
• The Vaughan Business and Entrepreneurship Centre experienced demand for consultations in February by Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Retail Trade, and Accommodation & Food Services industries.
• Vaughan continues to be home to ground-breaking innovative companies – Vaughan-headquartered Drone Delivery Canada was awarded funding from the Downsview Aerospace Innovation and Research (DAIR) Green Fund for its clean energy drone delivery solution.
• Teledyne Geospatial continues to revolutionize land surveying with the release of the Galaxy Onboard workflow solution to support airborne land surveying.
• PICCO Group receives the 2022 Grande Pinnacle award from Natural Stone Institute, for their work on the Utopia Project in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

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SELECT Economic Indicators

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 5.9 per cent year-over-year in January.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 5.9 per cent year-over-year in January. Food prices which include groceries and food from restaurants have risen at a slightly faster pace in January (+10.4 per cent) than in December (+10.1 per cent). The continued rising cost of groceries was driven primarily by meat prices which increased 7.3 per cent since December, which has resulted in the largest month-over-month increase in grocery costs since June 2004.

Shelter prices have increased at a slower rate on a year-over-year basis rising 6.0 per cent in January after a 7.0 per cent increase in December. However, mortgage interest costs have continued to rise at a faster pace on a year-over-year basis rising 21.2 per cent in January, the largest reported increase since September 1982.

The unemployment rate remains near a record low.

In February employment continues to hold steady (+22,000 jobs) with the unemployment rate remaining unchanged at 5.0 per cent. For the second consecutive month employment growth in health care and social assistance has risen, adding 15,000 jobs in February 2023. According to the 2022 York Region Employment Survey, Vaughan’s health care and social assistance sector was the fastest growing industry between 2019 and 2022 adding 3,030 jobs.

Employment for women aged 55 to 64 rose by 30,000 jobs in February with 6 in 10 (60.8 per cent) women in the age group being employed. This was the highest proportion on record for this age group rising 1.2 percentage points from the preceding high in January (59.6 per cent).

The employment rate continues to remain at near record lows, with the recorded low being 4.9 per cent which was observed in June and July of 2022. The labour force participation rate continues to hold steady at 65.7 per cent, an increase of 0.5 percentage points when compared to September 2022. Increases in labour force participation during this period were mainly attributed to increases in employment by core-aged women (25 to 54 years of age) and women aged 55 to 64 years of age.

Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) decreased slightly in December.

Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which measures the inflation-adjusted value of goods and services produced in the economy, decreased by 0.1 per cent in December.

The transportation and warehousing sector experienced a contraction in December 2022 due to adverse weather conditions. These conditions resulted in this industry sector recording a decrease (-2.3 per cent) for the first time since January 2022.

Public sector industries (Education, health care and social assistance and public administration) combined grew 3.0 per cent in 2022 and contributed the most to increases in service-producing industries. Client-facing industries (Accommodation and food services) grew substantially in 2022 mainly due to the removal of pandemic-related restrictions. Growth in these industries was 23.2 per cent in 2022 and was primarily driven by gains in food services and drinking place establishments.

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LOCAL TRENDS, INVESTMENTS, AND SUCCESS STORIES

The Vaughan Business and Entrepreneurship Centre experienced demand for consultations in February by Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Retail Trade, and Accommodation & Food Services industries.

ED’s Small Business and Entrepreneurship top five industries seeking consultations in February were:

1. Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (31 per cent)
2. Retail Trade (25 per cent)
3. Accommodation & Food Services and Other Services (13 per cent respectively)
4. Health Care & Social Assistance (8 per cent)
5. Administrative & Support & Waste Management (6 per cent)

Vaughan continues to be home to groundbreaking innovative companies – Vaughan-headquartered Drone Delivery Canada was awarded funding from the Downsview Aerospace Innovation and Research (DAIR) Green Fund for its clean energy drone delivery solution.

Vaughan-headquartered Drone Delivery Canada a leader in drone delivery technology was recently awarded $75,000 in funding from the DAIR Green Fund for its clean energy drone delivery solution. The DAIR Green fund which is funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency of Southern Ontario provides financial support for collaborative projects that can demonstrate an impact on the future of aerospace through sustainable solutions.

Drone Delivery Canada intends to utilize funding to support their Care by Air project and costs associated with regulatory approvals to allow Drone Delivery Canada to conduct beyond visual line of sight operations. This would allow Drone Delivery Canada to operate more complex delivery routes with fewer human resources required.

Teledyne Geospatial revolutionizes land surveying with the release of the Galaxy Onboard workflow solution to support airborne land surveying.

Teledyne Geospatial is a Vaughan-based designer and manufacturer of lidar and geospatial technologies used to create highly detailed three-dimensional maps of the earth’s surface. Teledyne products are used in applications such as land surveying, forestry, urban planning, archeology, and space exploration. The recently released Galaxy Onboard workflow solution lowers the barrier of entry for organizations venturing into airborne mapping. The solution offers surveyors the ability to deliver quality controlled processed data in real-time.

The City of Vaughan is also a smart, sustainable, and resilient community and a Smart City leader. The City achieved the Smart Cities Early Adopter International Organization of Standardization (ISO) 37122 certifications from the World Council on City Data. Vaughan is among the first cities worldwide to be certified under this new Smart City standard, joining an early adopter cohort of 10 cities globally.

PICCO Group receives 2022 Grande Pinnacle award from Natural Stone Institute

PICCO Group a Vaughan-based structural engineering firm provides unmatched expertise in stone, structural, and residential engineering. The organization was recently presented with the Grand Pinnacle award by the Natural Stone Institute at StonExpo in Las Vegas for work on the Utopia Project in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

“PICCO Group’s considerations for material extraction and handling, cubic geometry studies, stone engineering, installation, and fabrication proved intrinsic to meeting the delicate project requirements and high standards. The sculpture’s design required precision engineering and innovation with every solution. With stone panels up to 4,200 kgs and thicknesses exceeding 700 mm, a robust but simple steel frame system was designed for primary lateral support. Disc-shaped lateral connections proved efficient and timesaving. The essence of this sculpture will endure as a testament to Women & Humanity and Art & Architecture for generations to enjoy.”

-Natural Stone Institute, StonExpo, Las Vegas

Key Highlights

• The Consumer Price Index (CPI) dropped to 6.8 per cent in November
• The national unemployment rate dropped slightly to 5.1 per cent in November
• Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased slightly in October despite a decline in goods-producing industries
• Small Business and Entrepreneurship demand for consultations driven by Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Retail Trade, and Other Services (except Public Administration) industries in December
• avid hotel opened its first Canadian hotel property in Vaughan in December
• Vaughan headquartered Dishon Limited is recipient of federal funding with the Aerospace Regional and Recovery Initiative to further economic growth and job creation
• Vaughan-based Litens Automotive entered a partnership with University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science to collaborate on next-generation electric vehicle parts

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SELECT Economic Indicators

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 6.8 per cent year-over-year in November

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 6.8 per cent in November, marking a third consecutive month below seven per cent. Ontario’s CPI decreased, to 6.4 per cent over the same period.

Prices for groceries continue to be a main driver of inflation. Food purchased from stores rose 11.4 per cent year-over-year in November, on the heels of a 11 per cent gain in October. Causes of these increases include higher costs of production inputs like energy and fertilizer, unpredictable weather events which are linked to climate change affecting growing conditions, and continued geopolitical instability in Ukraine and Russia.

The national unemployment rate dropped slightly to 5.1 per cent in November

National unemployment saw a slight reduction to 5.1 per cent in November, while in Ontario, unemployment contracted to 5.5 per cent. In the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) – which includes Vaughan – also saw a slight decrease to 6.2 per cent in November. The participate rate of core-aged women reached a new record high in November, hitting 85.1 per cent, while labour force participation of youth (aged 15 to 24) fell to 63.6 per cent in the same period. Labour force participation rates of core-aged men saw little change at 91.7 per cent participation in November.

Youth unemployment in Ontario (aged 15 to 24) decreased to 12.2 per cent, while unemployment for adult men (25 years and adult women (25 years and over) in Ontario continued to decreased slightly, to 4.2 and 4.8 per cent respectively.

This release of the Labour Force Survey highlighted the influential impact on local labour market conditions of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector. In the Toronto CMA, ICT employment accounts for 6.8 per cent of all employment. This grouping of industries are central to the growth of the digital economy, including computer systems design and related services, software publishers, and semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing – including required technologies for next-generation auto and auto-parts manufacturing. The survey noted the decline in employment growth in ICT from November 2021 to November 2022, with employment falling by 3.8 per cent.

Vaughan is at the heart of the York Region tech eco-system and Canada’s second largest tech hub, which is home to more than 4,600 ICT companies and 60,000 jobs across the Region.

Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased slightly in October despite a decline in goods-producing industries

Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which measures the inflation-adjusted value of goods and services produced in the economy, increased by 0.1 per cent in October.

Manufacturing had its sixth contraction in seven months, declining by 0.7 per cent compared with 0.1 per cent in September. Durable food manufacturing contracted by 1.1 per cent, while non-durable goods fell 0.1 per cent. Manufacturing accounted for $4.69 billion of economic output and employed nearly 42,000 workers in Vaughan in 2021.

Services-producing industries expanded in October, led by client-facing industries such as arts and entertainment (up 2.2 per cent) and the accommodation, food services and drinking places sector (up one per cent).

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LOCAL TRENDS, INVESTMENTS, AND SUCCESS STORIES

Small Business and Entrepreneurship sees demand for consultations driven by Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Retail Trade, and Other Services (except Public Administration) industries in December

ED’s Small Business and Entrepreneurship top five industries seeking consultations in December were:

1. Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (36%)
2. Retail Trade (14%)
3. Other Services (Except Public Administration) (14%)
4. Other (12%)
5. Accommodation & Food Services (8%)

avid hotel opened its first Canadian hotel property in Vaughan in December

IHG Hotels and Resorts (IHG) opened its first Canadian avid hotel property in Vaughan in December, operating as avid hotel Toronto – Vaughan Southwest. This is the first of four planned properties across Canada to open and features 119 rooms

This hotel is one of 16 in the City. Despite a slow first quarter, Vaughan accommodations had a strong finish to 2022, representing $85 million in revenue (an increase of $10 million more than 2019, and $41 million more than 2021).  Occupancy rates in 2022 averaged to 73.8 per cent, which was a 0.6 increase from 2019, and a 17.4 per cent increase from 2021.

Vaughan headquartered Dishon Limited is recipient of federal funding with the Aerospace Regional and Recovery Initiative to further economic growth and job creation

Announced in December, Vaughan-headquartered Dishon Limited is the recipient of more than $4.2 million through the Aerospace Regional and Recovery Initiative (ARRI). Operating out of two facilities in Vaughan, Ontario, Dishon Limited produces components for parts used in the aerospace sector, such as landing gear, engines and fluid systems. Through this investment, the company will employ new manufacturing equipment, allowing for the commercialization of up to 200 new parts. This will help them expand into new markets like space and electrical aviation. The project is expected to increase revenue by up to $18 million and create 50 new jobs in Vaughan.

There are approximately 8 companies employing over 600 people located in Woodbridge and Concord that contribute to Vaughan’s aerospace and aviation cluster. Other companies include Merco Industries Ltd., Norcanco Inc., and Discovery Precision Machining Inc..

Vaughan-based Litens Automotive enters partnership with University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science to collaborate on next-generation electric vehicle parts

Litens Autmotive, a global leader specializing in powertrain system engineering and component supply that has strong production supply relationships with major OEMs, announced the acquisition of controlling interest in Spain-based Industrias Dolz SA. Litens has three locations in Vaughan, including its Canadian headquarters and head office.

Within York Region, more than 250 automotive-related companies support 15,000 direct jobs and 34,000 sector-relevant jobs. The Region is home to Canada’s largest independent automotive parts and electronics manufacturing cluster, most of which are located in Vaughan. Vaughan has more than 50 automotive parts manufacturing businesses employ over 6,800 people, and more than 190 motor vehicle and parts dealers employ more than 3,700 people according to the latest York Region Employment Survey. The manufacturing industry which automotive is a huge part of contributes $4.6 billion or 19% to Vaughan’s total GDP.

Vaughan’s automotive sector includes many globally recognized tier 1 suppliers, such as Magna International, Martinrea, Multimatic, Hanon Systems, Litens Automotive, IAC, and Woodbridge Foam Corporation as well as numerous tier 2 and tier 3 suppliers. A wide range of automotive products is made in Vaughan including driveline systems, fluid pressure and controls, hinges, brakes, seats, transmissions and many more.

Key highlights

• In 2021, 89 per cent of employed residents in Vaughan over the age of 15 commuted by car, truck or van as a driver or passenger.
• Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of employed Vaughan residents or 63,360 workers leave for work between 6 a.m. and 8:59 a.m.
• More than 53,200 Vaughan residents reported home as their usual place of work
• In 2021 place of work status for 82,925 employed Vaughan residents included their usual place of work in a physical office setting, for 53,225 employed Vaughan residents their place of work status was noted as working from home
• The number of Canadians that commuted by car in May 2022 rose to 12.8 million, exceeding 2016 levels, while reported public transit use remained below pre-COVID-19 levels with only 1.2 million users.

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INSIGHTS and Findings

Canada and Ontario

Commuting is a daily activity for millions of Canadians and directly affects how they spend both their time and money, commuting patterns have important economic, and infrastructure-related implications.

The number of Canadians that commuted by car in May 2022 rose to 12.8 million, exceeding 2016 levels, while public transit use has remained below pre-COVID-19 levels and only 1.2 million users.

Between 2016 and 2021, the number of Canadians commuting by car, truck or van as a driver or passenger declined by 1.7 million people. The largest decline in car commuters, occurred among Canadians working in public administration (-235,000 people, or -28.2 per cent); finance and insurance (-224,000, or -47.8 per cent); professional, scientific, and technical services (-224,000, or -32.1 per cent); and educational services (-216,000, or -22.0 percent). The declines noted in these industry sectors were identified as sectors more easily able to adopt work-from-home arrangements for employees.

The number of people taking public transit to work fell from 2 million in 2016 to 1 million in May 2021, the first reported decline since the census began collecting commuter data in 1996. However, with most public health restrictions removed across Canada and Ontario in 2022, the number of car commuters reported in May 2022 exceeded 2016 findings and rose to 12.8 million. Public transit use remains well below pre-COVID-19 levels with a reported 1.2 million users. Due to the pandemic, the decline in car commuters resulted in fewer cars on the road and faster trips to work.

City of Vaughan

In 2021, Commuting to work via car, truck or van as the driver or passenger was the most common mode of commuting for 89 per cent of employed residents in Vaughan over the age of 15. By commuting duration to their place of employment, 35 per cent of residents had commutes between 15 and 29 minutes, 27 per cent of residents had commutes between 30 to 44 minutes. More than 63,300 or 63 per cent of employed residents left for work between 6 a.m. and 8:59 a.m. In 2021 place of work status for 82,925 employed Vaughan residents included their usual place of work in a physical office setting, for 53,225 employed Vaughan residents their place of work status was noted as working from home.

Nearly half of Vaughan residents (32,630) are commuting to their place of work in Vaughan via car, truck or van, and 32,675 employed Vaughan residents are commuting to a municipality outside of York Region via car, truck or van.

Figure 1: Commuting flows by destination for Vaughan Residents, 2021

Key highlights

• All occupations within Vaughan experienced growth between 2016 and 2021, “Natural and applied sciences” and “Trades, transport and equipment operator” occupations saw the largest growth at 29 per cent and 28 per cent respectively.
• Vaughan’s key employment sectors continue to grow and diversify, between 2016 and 2021 healthcare sector employment grew 19 per cent, professional, scientific and technical services employment grew 15 per cent, and construction employment grew 11 per cent
• The Canadian healthcare sector has grown by 200,000 workers since 2016
• Employment in Canada’s construction sector has grown by 9.2 per cent since 2016, employing nearly 1.3 million workers
• Since 2016, the professional scientific and technical services sector in Canada grew 17 per cent employing 1.5 million workers

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INSIGHTS and Findings

Canada and Ontario

Canada’s labour force is being shaped by several long-term demographic and social trends. Most notably, the aging baby boomer generation has caused a decline in the participation rate of working-aged adults, while rising education levels amongst Canadians have played an increasingly important role in providing employment opportunities, especially those in high-paying sectors.

The construction industry remains an important source of employment for Canadians with varying education levels and recently landed immigrants.

At the national level, several key labour market trends have been identified. The number of healthcare workers increased to 1.5 million in 2021, an increase of 200,000 since 2016.

The construction industry, which accounts for 7.5 per cent of the nation’s GDP, employs nearly 1.3 million workers in 2021 – up 9.2 per cent from 1.2 million in 2016. The construction industry remains an important source of employment for Canadians with varying education levels and recently landed immigrants.

The professional scientific and technical services sector saw 17 per cent growth in 2021 outpacing all other sectors nationally with 1.5 million people employed. Those employed in this industry sector are in a wide array of occupations such as computer, software and web designers, human resources and business service industries, lawyers, accountants and auditors and engineers.

Sales and service occupations employed nearly four million workers in 2021, continuing to be important an important source of work for young Canadians and recently landed immigrants looking to enter the Canadian workforce.

Sales and service occupations employed nearly four million Canadians and 23 per cent of employment in 2021, representing the largest employment share across all industries. Hospitality was a major source of employment, with 783,000 working specifically in the accommodation and food service sectors. Sales and service occupations are particularly important for young people and immigrants looking to enter the Canadian workforce, as more than 1.4 million people worked in occupations that did not require any formal educational requirements. However, it was noted that those jobs not requiring formal education were hardest hit by the pandemic.

Recent immigrants account for 28 per cent of the core-aged labour force in Canada.

Recent immigrants are boosting Canada’s labour market growth. From 2016 to 2021, more than 1.3 million new immigrants were admitted to Canada, accounting for 28 per cent of the core age (25-64 years of age) labour force in 2021. Racialized groups were also noted for their increased labour force participation in 2021. Labour market participation increased 1.2 per cent (from 82.2 per cent to 83.4 per cent) for members of racialized groups, with the largest increases among core-aged Korean Canadians and West Asian Canadians.

City of Vaughan

Between 2016 and 2021, Vaughan’s core-aged (25-64 years old) labour force grew by four per cent, accounting for 176,625 residents. By employment type 69 per cent of Vaughan’s labour force (or 117,995 residents) are currently employed in permanent positions, while 11 per cent (or 19,805 residents) are employed in temporary positions. Self-employed residents in Vaughan accounted for 20 per cent of Vaughan’s total labour force, surpassing the number of self-employed people at the provincial (15 per cent) and national (15 per cent) level. Vaughan’s labour force comprises 28 per cent of York Regions’ total available labour force, which includes those not currently employed but seeking work.

All occupations within Vaughan experienced growth between 2016 and 2021, “Natural and applied sciences” and “Trades, transport and equipment operator” occupations saw the largest growth at 29 per cent and 28 per cent respectively.

Table 1: Number of Occupations in Vaughan, StatsCan 2016 and 2021

Vaughan’s key employment sectors continue to grow and diversify, between 2016 and 2021 healthcare sector employment grew 19 per cent, professional, scientific and technical services employment grew 15 per cent, and construction employment grew 11 per cent.

Table 2: Employment by Industry Sector, StatsCan 2016 and 2021

Key highlights

• Nearly 3 in 4 residents (73 per cent) in Vaughan aged 25 to 64 years old hold a post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree.
• The number of post-secondary, certificate, diploma or degree holders in Vaughan surpasses provincial (68 per cent) and national (67 per cent) education attainment
• Forty per cent of residents hold a bachelor’s degree, while 26 per cent hold a college diploma.
• From 2016 to 2021, there was a 19 per cent increase in the number of working-aged Canadian individuals who held a bachelor’s degree or higher.
• Degrees held by Canadians in the fields of “health and healthcare” and “computer and information sciences” rose drastically from 2016 to 2021, increasing by 24 per cent and 46 per cent respectively.

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INSIGHTS and Findings

Canada and Ontario

Canada continues to rank first in the G7 for the share of working-age people (25 to 64) with 57.4 per cent of Canadians achieving a college or university education. From 2016 to 2021, there was a 19 per cent increase in the number of working-aged individuals who held a bachelor’s degree or higher. Degrees in the fields of “health and healthcare” and “computer and information sciences” rose drastically over this period at 24 per cent and 46 per cent respectively. Canadian-born young adults aged 25 to 34 with a degree or higher have risen 2.7 percentage points from 2016 to 2021, with young women making up a larger share of educated young adults than males. Those with education credentials above the bachelor’s level were more likely to have weathered COVID-19 labour challenges partly due to working in industries that were more suited to remote work.

Recently landed immigrants made up half the share of Canadians with bachelor’s degrees or higher. More than one-quarter of immigrants with foreign-held education credentials are currently working jobs in which their education is underutilized primarily working in positions that require at most a high school diploma.

City of Vaughan

Vaughan residents continue to be well-educated across a variety of fields. Nearly three in four (73 per cent) of Vaughan residents aged 25 to 64 years old hold a post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree. Of those holding a post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree, 26 per cent (or 33,850 residents) hold a college diploma, and 40 per cent (or 50,910 residents) hold a bachelor’s degree.

“Business management and public administration”, “Architecture, engineering and related trades” and “Social and behavioural sciences and law” are the most common fields of study held by residents in Vaughan.

Key Highlights

• The Consumer Price Index (CPI) maintained at 6.9 per cent in October for the second consecutive month
• The national unemployment rate remained at 5.2 per cent while labour force participation increased
• Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) edged up another 0.1 per cent in September, led by increases in the goods-producing industries
• Small Business and Entrepreneurship saw demand for consultations driven by Retail Trade, Accommodation & Food Services, and Other industries in October
• Vaughan-headquartered Summer Fresh received federal investment through the Jobs and Growth fund
• Vaughan-based Litens Automotive expanded its aftermarket activities with the acquisition of a controlling interest in a Spanish water pump manufacturer

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SELECT Economic Indicators

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) maintained at 6.9 per cent year-over-year in October for second consecutive month

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) remained at 6.9 per cent in October marking a second consecutive month below seven per cent. Ontario’s CPI decreased, to 6.5 per cent in October.

The increase in gasoline prices seen in October put upward pressure across all items included in CPI. On a year-over-year basis, the prices for food in October rose less than in September, however the increase was still higher than ten per cent (10.1). Despite this reduction in growth from September, food purchased from stores continued to increase at a faster rate year-over-year for the eleventh consecutive month. Causes of these increases include higher costs of production inputs like energy and fertilizer, unpredictable weather events which are linked to climate change affecting growing conditions, and continued geopolitical instability in Ukraine and Russia.

The national unemployment rate remained 5.2 per cent while labour force participation increased

National unemployment remained at 5.2 per cent in October, while in Ontario, unemployment also increased slight to 5.9 per cent. In the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) – which includes Vaughan – remained unchanged at 6.3 per cent in October. Increases in the labour force nationally saw the largest increases occurring among young women and core-aged men in October. Overall, labour force growth was almost entirely accounted for by the rise in the number of people who were employed, while the total number of unemployed people was little changed. In Ontario, employment gains were led by accommodation and food services and professional, scientific and technical services.

Youth unemployment in Ontario (aged 15 to 24) increased from 11.5 to 12.9 per cent, while unemployment for adult men (25 years and adult women (25 years and over) in Ontario decreased slightly, to 4.4 and 5.0 per cent respectively.

Hourly wages for employees rose 5.6 per cent compared with the previous October, the fifth consecutive rise above five per cent. Despite the increase, the rise in wages still falls behind the rate of inflation, decreasing purchasing power for Canadians.

According to the October release of the Labour Force Survey, nearly one in ten workers reports hybrid work arranged, an increase of more than five per cent since January of this year. Data from this month’s labour force survey also indicates that while average wages have increased on a year-over-year basis, lower-wage workers were least likely to have received a raise in the last 12 months. In October, more than one in three Canadians older than 15 reported living in a household finding it difficult or very difficult to meet its financial needs. Among core-aged working people (aged 25 to 54), workers in accommodation and food services (43.2 per cent) retail trade (42.4 per cent), and transportation and warehousing (42.4 per cent) were among the most likely to reside in households facing financial strain in October. In Vaughan, these industries employed approximately 59,400 workers in 2021, representing more than a quarter of all jobs in the City.

Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) edges up another 0.1 per cent in September, led by increases in the goods-producing industries

Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which measures the inflation-adjusted value of goods and services produced in the economy, increased by 0.1 per cent in September.

Manufacturing had its fifth contraction in six months, although September’s decrease was a slight 0.1 per cent. Durable food manufacturing rose 0.6 per cent in September, while non-durable goods fell 0.9 per cent in the same month, less by food product manufacturing which fell by 1.4 per cent. Manufacturing accounted for $4.69 billion of economic output and employed nearly 42,000 workers in Vaughan in 2021.

Construction expanded for the first time in five months, increasing 0.5 per cent in September. In 2021, the construction sector accounted for $3.94 billion of economic output and employed nearly 33,000 workers in Vaughan.

Services-producing industries were essentially unchanged in September despite a reduction across most sectors, including retail trade and wholesale trade activity. Increases in the health care and social assistance and the professional, scientific and technical services sectors largely offset the declines seen across other sectors.

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LOCAL TRENDS, INVESTMENTS, AND SUCCESS STORIES

Small Business and Entrepreneurship sees demand for consultations driven by Retail Trade, Accommodation & Food Services, and Other industries in October

ED’s Small Business and Entrepreneurship top five industries seeking consultations in October were:

1. Retail Trade (30%)
2. Accommodation & Food Services (20%)
3. Other (19%)
4. Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (12%)
5. Other Services (Except Public Administration) (11%)

Vaughan-headquartered Summer Fresh receives federal investment through the Jobs and Growth fund

Vaughan-headquartered Summer Fresh was one of five innovative food processing and packaging companies selected to receive a federal investment through the Jobs and Growth fund. Established in 1991, Summer Fresh manufactures more than 100 products including hummus, salads and easy meals for the North American market.

Vaughan’s agri-food and food processing sector runs “farm to fork”, with food grown, manufactured, packaged, distributed, and enjoyed in Vaughan. The City is located at the heart of the Toronto Region’s Food & Beverage sector, the largest in North America, with annual food and beverage sales in the Toronto Region exceeding $21 billion.

Vaughan-based Litens Automotive expands aftermarket activities with acquisition of controlling interest in Spanish water pump manufacturer

Litens Autmotive, a global leader specializing in powertrain system engineering and component supply that has strong production supply relationships with major OEMs, announced the acquisition of controlling interest in Spain-based Industrias Dolz SA. Litens has three locations in Vaughan, including its Canadian headquarters and head office.

Within York Region, more than 250 automotive-related companies support 15,000 direct jobs and 34,000 sector-relevant jobs. The Region is home to Canada’s largest independent automotive parts and electronics manufacturing cluster, most of which are located in Vaughan. Vaughan has more than 50 automotive parts manufacturing businesses employ over 6,800 people, and more than 190 motor vehicle and parts dealers employ more than 3,700 people according to the latest York Region Employment Survey. The manufacturing industry which automotive is a huge part of contributes $4.6 billion or 19% to Vaughan’s total GDP.

Vaughan’s automotive sector includes many globally recognized tier 1 suppliers, such as Magna International, Martinrea, Multimatic, Hanon Systems, Litens Automotive, IAC, and Woodbridge Foam Corporation as well as numerous tier 2 and tier 3 suppliers. A wide range of automotive products is made in Vaughan including driveline systems, fluid pressure and controls, hinges, brakes, seats, transmissions and many more.

KEY Highlights

• This year will be a record year by value of industrial permits for Vaughan as permit totals in the third quarter reach $448.1 million
• Vaughan’s industrial development market ranks fourth nationally by value of permits after the first three quarters
• Vaughan’s non-residential development activity ranks ninth nationally by value of permits over the same period
• Vaughan’s commercial market ranks fifth in Ontario despite a reduction of activity from 2021
• Vaughan remains the largest industrial market in York Region and the fourth largest industrial market in the Greater Toronto Area after Toronto, Mississauga, and Brampton

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ANALYSIS

Vaughan’s industrial market is one of the busiest in the country by value of industrial permits, breaking City records with one quarter remaining this year.

Statistics Canada recently released its building permit rankings for the third quarter, which includes previous data from the first two quarters.

The third quarter saw Vaughan move up a ranking from the previous quarter to the fourth industrial market overall in Canada by value of permits. Vaughan’s industrial market is breaking records at the City-level, surpassing 2021 with a quarter of building activity remaining this year. The total value of industrial permits as of the third quarter is $448.1 million compared to $373.3 million in 2021, as reported by the City of Vaughan’s Building Standards department.

Top Ten Canadian Industrial Markets by Value of Permits

1. Brampton
2. Montreal
3. Mississauga
4. Vaughan
5. Toronto
6. Whitby
7. Laval
8. Calgary
9. Vancouver
10. London

Vaughan continues to be one of the largest industrial markets in the Greater Toronto Area, with a total industrial inventory of more than 96.4 million square feet at the end of the third quarter with an additional 2.3 million square feet under construction, according to a market report by Colliers. Both vacancy rates and availability rates remain very low in Vaughan and across the Greater Toronto Area for industrial properties – York Region was the only region in the third quarter with a reported 0 per cent vacancy rate and had the lowest availability rate of 0.2 per cent.

Vaughan’s non-residential markets remain in the top ten in Canada, in large part due to the strength of its industrial market.

Vaughan ranks ninth overall in the country for value of non-residential building permits. This includes industrial, commercial, and institutional permits. At the end of the third quarter, Vaughan’s building permit values for non-residential permits totaled $593.8 million.

Top Ten Canadian Non-Residential Markets by Value of Permits

1. Toronto
2. Vancouver
3. Montreal
4. Calgary
5. Edmonton
6. Quebec
7. Mississauga
8. Brampton
9. Vaughan
10. Hamilton

Vaughan’s commercial market remains among the top in Ontario, where commercial market activity has cooled off in 2022.

Vaughan’s commercial market by value of permits was fifth in Ontario behind Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, and Mississauga respectively, and 14^th in Canada at the end of the third quarter of this year. To date, the value of commercial permits in Vaughan totals $118 million with one quarter remaining, down from the record-setting $362.3 million in commercial development activity seen in 2021.

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DEFINITIONS

Industrial buildings are defined as buildings used in the processing or production of goods, or related to transportation and communication.

Commercial buildings are defined as buildings used in the trade or distribution of goods and services.

Institutional buildings are buildings used to house public and semi-public services, such as those related to health and welfare, education, or public administration, as well as buildings used for religious services.

Availability rate is the ratio of available space to total rentable space, calculated by dividing the total available square feet by the total rentable square feet.

Vacancy rate is a measurement expressed as a percentage of the total amount of physically vacant space divided by the total amount of existing inventory. Under construction space generally is not included in vacancy calculations.

Key highlights

• 13,030 people immigrated to the City of Vaughan in 2021, an increase of 2,240 people over the 2016 census
• Vaughan is home to 217 ethnic or cultural origins while Canada reported a total of 450 ethnic or cultural origins
• The top five ethnic or cultural origins (excluding Canadian) in Vaughan included Italian (85,030), Chinese (27,235), Jewish (25,325), Russian (18,245), and Indian (17,330).
• One in four people counted during the 2021 census are or have been a landed immigrant or permanent resident of Canada

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INSIGHTS and Findings

Canada and Ontario

Canada’s population continues to be a mosaic of nations, races, and religions. In 2021 450 ethnic or cultural origins were reported, top ethnic origins in Canada included English (5.7 million), Irish (4.4 million), Scottish (4.4 million), and French (4.0 million). German, Italian, Ukrainian, Chinese and Indian were each reported by 1 million people in Canada.

In 2021 450 ethnic or cultural origins were reported in Canada.

Racialized groups in Canada have all experienced growth since 2016, South Asian, Chinese and black now represent 16.1% of Canada’s total population. The portrait of racialized groups varies across the country. For example, South Asian, Chinese and black populations are the largest racialized groups in Ontario while British Columbia is home to large populations of Chinese and South Asians.

One in four people counted during the 2021 census are or have been a landed immigrant or permanent resident of Canada.

Immigration makes up the largest share of the population in over 150 years. One in four people counted during the 2021 census are or have been landed immigrants or permanent residents in Canada. Just over 1.3 million new immigrants settled permanently in Canada between 2016 to 2021, the highest number of recent immigrants recorded in a census period. Asia and the Middle East remained the top continents of birth for most recent immigrants (62%). Almost one in five recent immigrants (18.6%) were born in India, making it the leading country of birth for recent immigrants to Canada. In contrast, the share of recent immigrants from Europe has continued to decline, falling from 61.6% in 1971 to 10.1% in 2021.

City of Vaughan

The City of Vaughan is a diverse community home to more than 217 ethnic or cultural origins. The top five ethnic or cultural origins (excluding Canadian) in Vaughan included Italian (85,030), Chinese (27,235), Jewish (25,325), Russian (18,245), and Indian (17,330).

There are more than 217 reported ethnic or cultural origins in the City of Vaughan.

In 2021 13,030 people immigrated to the City of Vaughan an increase of 2,240 people since 2016. Recent immigrants in 2021 have come from the following continents, Asia (9,550), Europe (1,735), Americas (1,075), and Africa (650). The top 5 countries by place of birth for recent immigrants included China (2,395), India (1,595), Pakistan (1,010), Philippines (840) and Iran (730). Recent immigrants make up 4.03 per cent of Vaughan’s total population in 2021 a difference of 0.53 per cent when compared to York Region where recent immigrants represent 4.56 per cent of the region’s population.

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2021 CENSUS RELEASE SCHEDULE

Statistics Canada will release 2021 Census topics throughout 2022. Economic Development will continue to monitor and provide Council with information on Vaughan’s growing demographics and economy.

• November 30, 2022 – Education, labour, the language of work, commuting, and instruction in the official minority language.

Key Highlights

• The Consumer Price Index (CPI) declined for a third consecutive month, dropping below seven per cent in September
• The national unemployment rate declined slightly to 5.2 per cent in September while total size of the labour force contracted over summer months
• Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased slightly in August, rising 0.1 per cent to $2.061 trillion
• Small Business and Entrepreneurship sees demand for consultations driven by Retail Trade, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, and Accommodation & Food Services in October
• Vaughan-headquartered Futurecom Systems Group acquired by Motorola Solutions
• Vaughan-headquartered Miele Professional launches new appliance for medical instruments and devices in Canada

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SELECT Economic Indicators

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) declined for a third consecutive month, dropping below seven per cent in September

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) dropped to 6.9 per cent in September, a third consecutive slowdown from a peak of 8.1 per cent in June. Ontario’s CPI also decreased, to 6.7 per cent in September. On a year-over-year basis, the prices for durable goods rose 6.7 per cent in September faster than the six per cent seen in August. The cost of purchasing a passenger vehicle was the largest contributor to this increase, up 8.4 per cent. The increase of this cost can be attributed to the ongoing shortage of semi-conductor chips which continues to impact supply chains globally.

Canadian continue to pay significantly increased costs for food in September, as prices for food purchased from stores rose again hitting 11.4 per cent, the fastest pace since August 1981. Food purchased from stores has been increasing the fastest of all items in the CPI for ten consecutive months. Causes of these increases include higher costs of production inputs like energy and fertilizer, unpredictable weather events which are linked to climate change affecting growing conditions, and continued geopolitical instability in Ukraine and Russia.

National unemployment declined slightly in September; total size of the labour force contracted over the summer months

National unemployment declined to 5.2 per cent in September, down slightly from 5.4 per cent in August. In Ontario, unemployment increased very slightly from 5.7 per cent to 5.8 per cent, while the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) – which includes Vaughan – increased from 5.9 to 6.3 per cent in September. In the Toronto CMA, employment also decreased in September by 1.9 per cent or 66,000 jobs.

Youth unemployment in Ontario (aged 15 to 24) increased only slightly from 11.4 to 11.5 per cent, and the same slight increase was seen in unemployment for adult men (25 years and over) which rose from 4.5 to 4.6 per cent. Unemployment for adult women (25 years and over) in Ontario remained unchanged at 5.1 per cent.

In Ontario, the drop in workers in the manufacturing industry was most pronounced with a reduction of 2.4 per cent or 19,000 fewer workers. The size of the labour force, which includes those both employed and unemployed has been declining since May of this year, as has the participation rate.

Hourly wages for employees rose 5.2 per cent compared with the previous September, the fourth consecutive rise above five per cent. Despite the increase, the rise in wages still falls behind the rate of inflation (seven per cent for the same period), decreasing purchasing power for Canadians.

Women were more likely than men to have taken career or job-related decisions that prioritized childcare responsibilities despite record-high employment, according to the latest Labour Force Survey. New data focusing on parents with children under 16 became available in the latest Labour Force Survey, which showed that core-aged mothers with a child under 16 were twice as likely (14.9 per cent) to have decided not to apply for a job or a promotion over the previous year than their male counterparts. Similarly, mothers were nearly twice as likely to have turned down a job offer during the previous year due to childcare responsibilities, or 7.6 per cent compared with four per cent of fathers.

Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) saw another slight monthly increase in August, edging up 0.1 per cent

Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which measures the inflation-adjusted value of goods and services produced in the economy, increased by 0.1 per cent in August.

Manufacturing had its fourth contraction in five months, edging down 0.8 per cent in August. This was led by a decrease in durable goods manufacturing. Non-durable goods manufacturing declined by 0.2 per cent in August, although food manufacturing saw a 1.5 per cent increase in the same time frame. Manufacturing accounted for $4.69 billion of economic output and employed nearly 42,000 workers in Vaughan in 2021.

Construction contracted for the fifth consecutive month, down 0.7 per cent with all subsectors experiencing declines. In 2021, the construction sector accounted for $3.94 billion of economic output and employed nearly 33,000 workers in Vaughan.

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LOCAL TRENDS, INVESTMENTS, AND SUCCESS STORIES

Small Business and Entrepreneurship sees demand for consultations driven by Retail Trade, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, and Accommodation & Food Services in October

ED’s Small Business and Entrepreneurship top five industries seeking consultations in September were:

1. Retail Trade (29%)
2. Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (27%)
3. Accommodation & Food Services (23%)
4. Other (11%)
5. Other Services (Except Public Administration) (6%)

Vaughan-headquartered Futurecom Systems Group acquired by Motorola Solutions

Vaughan-headquartered Futurecom Systems Group, a leading provider of radio coverage extension solutions for public safety agencies, was acquired by Motorola Solutions, a global leader in public safety and enterprise security. Futurecom and Motorola have collaborated for more than thirty years on integration into Motorola’s radio networks and devices.

As both a manufacturer and wholesaler of communications solutions, Futurecom is in good company with more than 4,500 other Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in York Region, in the heart of Canada’s second-largest Tech Hub.

Vaughan-headquartered Miele Professional launches new appliance for medical instruments and devices in Canada

Vaughan-headquartered Miele, a global leader in state-of-the-art commercial-grade appliances, announced its newest solution for cleaning and disinfecting medical and surgical instruments in Canada. Miele’s PG 8582 and PG 8592 Medical Undercounter offer the ideal solution to medical instrument and device reprocessing for a range of applications, such as Ophthalmology, Ear Nose and Throat, Plastic Surgery and Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Fertility.

Miele is a player in Vaughan’s wholesale trade industry, which accounted for $2.87 billion in economic output and employed more than 14,500 workers in 2021. Vaughan’s proximity to major highways, airports, and intermodal rail and access to the complementary thriving transportation and warehousing industry make it an attractive destination of choice for wholesalers.

Key Highlights

• The Consumer Price Index (CPI) continued to decline for a second month dropping to seven per cent in August, the decline was largely driven by lower gasoline prices
• The national unemployment rate increased for the first time in seven months, rising to 5.4 per cent
• Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased slightly in July, rising 0.1 per cent to 2.056 trillion
• Small Business and Entrepreneurship sees demand for consultations driven by Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Retail Trade, and Accommodation & Food Services in September
• Vaughan-headquartered Fastfrate Group was selected as a 2022 Inbound Logistics Top 100 Trucking Company
• Vaughan-based Teledyne Geospatial partners with Seabed 2030 to understand underwater impacts of volcanic eruption

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SELECT Economic Indicators

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) continued to decline for a second month dropping to seven per cent in August, the decline was largely driven by lower gasoline prices

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) dropped to seven per cent in August, a second consecutive slowdown from a peak of 8.1 per cent in June. Ontario’s CPI also decreased, to 6.9 per cent in August.

Transportation and shelter costs drove down consumer prices in August, which still saw increases of 10.3 per cent and 6.6 per cent.

Food prices for food purchased from stores rose in August to 10.8 per cent, the fastest pace since August 1981.

The national unemployment rate rose for the first time in seven months in August, up 0.5 percentage points

National unemployment increased in August for the first time in seven months, up 0.5 per cent from July where the rate was the lowest since data became available in 1976. In Ontario, unemployment increased slightly from 5.3 per cent to 5.7 per cent, while the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) – which includes Vaughan – rose slightly to 5.9 per cent in August.

Youth unemployment in Ontario (aged 15 to 24) increased slightly from 10.7 to 11.4 per cent, while unemployment increased by 0.2 per cent for adult women (25 years and over) in Ontario to 5.1 per cent and by 0.6 per cent to 4.5 per cent for adult men (25 years and over).

Employers will continue to face labour challenges as more workers approach retirement age. Occupations related to transportation and manufacturing had some of the oldest age profiles in August. Specifically, workers in transport and heavy equipment operation, assemblers in manufacturing and processing and manufacturing machine operators had some of the lowest ratios of younger workers to older workers. In Vaughan, transportation accounted for $1.16 billion in economic output and employed more than 15,500 workers in 2021, while manufacturing employed nearly 42,000 workers and accounted for $4.69 billion in economic output for the same time period.

Hourly wages for employees rose 5.4 per cent compared with the previous year in August, slightly above the rate of increase seen in July. Despite the increase, the rise in wages still falls behind the rate of inflation, decreasing purchasing power for Canadians.

In the August Labour Force Survey, the number of Canadians considering a job change in the next 12 months is on the rise. Compared to when this question was asked in January 2022, this number has doubled to 11.9 per cent; when looking only at the bottom 20 per cent of earners, that number jumped to nearly one in five.

Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased in May

Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which measures the inflation-adjusted value of goods and services produced in the economy, increased by 0.1 per cent in July.

Manufacturing contracted in 0.5 per cent in July, the third decline in this industry in four months, led by a decrease in durable goods manufacturing. Non-durable goods manufacturing saw its first increase since March of this year, rising 0.7 per cent, although food manufacturing saw a 1.8 per cent decrease.

Wholesale trade and retail trade both contracted in July. Wholesale trade was down for the fifth time within a six-month period, decreasing by 0.7 per cent in July. This was due to a decrease in personal in household goods wholesaling in large part from reduced textile, clothing and footwear wholesaling, as well as a significant decline in building materials and supplies wholesaling. Retail trade dropped by 1.9 per cent in July, the lowest level since December 2021, as gas and food and beverage store purchases decreased.

Wholesale trade accounted for $2.87 billion in economic output and employed 14,500 workers, while retail trade account for $1.7 billion in economic output and employed 35,900 workers in Vaughan in 2021.

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LOCAL TRENDS, INVESTMENTS, AND SUCCESS STORIES

Small Business and Entrepreneurship sees demand for consultations driven by Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Retail Trade, and Accommodation & Food Services in September

ED’s Small Business and Entrepreneurship top five industries seeking consultations in September were:

1. Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (29%)
2. Retail Trade (27%)
3. Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (23%)
4. Other (11%)
5. Other Services (Except Public Administration) (6%)

Vaughan-headquartered Fastfrate Group selected as a 2022 Inbound Logistics Top 100 Trucker

Vaughan-headquartered Fastfrate Group, a Canadian leader in providing transportation and logistics services, was selected as one of the 2022 Top 100 Truckers by Inbound Logistics.

Fastfrate Group is comprised of seven companies and 40 locations operating across Canada and the United States which provide end-to-end supply chain solutions.

Vaughan is home to a thriving transportation and warehousing sector, which accounted for $1.16 billion in economic output and employed more than 15,500 workers in 2021.

Vaughan-based Teledyne Geospatial partners with Seabed 2030 to understand underwater impacts of volcanic eruption

Vaughan-based Teledyne Geospatial, a leading developer of hydrographic and marine GIS software, partnered with Seabed 2030 to discover the undersea impacts of the Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai (HT–HH) volcanic eruption, which produced the biggest atmospheric explosion recorded on Earth in over a century.

Vaughan is at the heart of York Region’s innovation economy, linking Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital (Canada’s first smart hospital) and the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC) to Toronto’s renowned research hospitals and some of Canada’s top universities. Vaughan’s technology sector is home to other leading companies such as Mircom, Soroc Technology, SCIEX, Digital Realty, Wirecomm Systems and others.