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City of Vaughan

Vaughan Economic and Business Update – February 2024

Highlights

  • On an average annual basis, the Consumer Price Index rose 3.9 per cent in 2023, following an average annual increase of 6.8 per cent in 2022.
  • The Consumer Price Index rose 3.4 per cent year-over-year in December following a 3.1 per cent increase in November.
  • National employment increased by 37,000 people, and the unemployment rate fell 0.1 per cent in January.
  • Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 0.2 per cent in November, after three consecutive months of no change.
  • The Vaughan Business and Entrepreneurship Centre experienced demand for consultations in retail trade, construction, and professional scientific and technical services in January.
  • Mircom introduces the next-generation fire detection and alarm product range into the U.S. security distribution

SELECT Economic Indicators

On an average annual basis, the Consumer Price Index rose 3.9 per cent in 2023, following an average annual increase of 6.8 per cent in 2022.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures the change in prices of goods and services purchased by Canadians. CPI measures price changes by comparing, through time, the cost of a fixed basket of goods and services. In 2023 the CPI rose 3.9 per cent on an average annual basis following an average annual increase of 6.8 per cent in 2022.

The deceleration of CPI in 2023 was due in part to lower energy prices which fell 4.2 per cent on an average annual basis in 2023 following a 22.5 per cent increase in 2022. The price increase of gasoline in 2022 was due to several factors including increased demand from easing COVID-19 restrictions, supply interruptions and supply uncertainty as crude oil facilities needed time to ramp up production. These challenges settled in 2023 allowing for the overall cost of gasoline to fall.

While all categories of CPI experienced continued price growth in 2023, six of the eight categories of CPI saw slower price growth when compared to 2022.  Food prices remained elevated throughout 2023, however, prices for food purchased from stores rose at 7.8 per cent in 2023 down from the record high in 2022 of 9.8 per cent.

Housing replacement costs in 2023 decreased while mortgage interest costs and rents accelerated. Due to rising interest rates and mortgage renewals in 2023, mortgage interest costs and rent costs increased 28.5 per cent and 6.5 per cent respectively. This index was the largest contributor to the annual average of all items CPI increase in 2023.

The Consumer Price Index rose 3.4 per cent year-over-year in December following a 3.1 per cent increase in November.

The Consumer Price Index rose 3.4 per cent year-over-year in December following a 3.1 per cent increase in November. The acceleration in CPI for December was due to rising costs in airfare, fuel oil, passenger vehicles and rent.

Prices for air transportation rose 31.1 per cent in December following an increase of 1.1 per cent in November. This increase was largely due to increased demand for travel during the holiday season and into the winter months of 2024.

The cost of rent has continued to climb, rising 7.7 per cent year over year following a 7.4 per cent increase in November. A higher interest rate environment has put upward pressure on Canadians’ ability to own a home has will continue to put pressure on rental costs. Ontario (+6.9 per cent), British Columbia (8.6 per cent) and Quebec contributed the most to this index’s increase in December.

National employment increased by 37,000 people, and the unemployment rate fell 0.1 per cent in January.

National employment increased by 37,000 people and the unemployment rate fell 0.1 per cent in January. Population growth (+0.4 per cent) is continuing to outpace employment growth (+0.2 per cent). Employment gains for January were spread across multiple sectors including wholesale and retail trade, finance, insurance, rental and leasing, educational services, and transportation and warehousing.

For the fourth consecutive month, the national employment rate has declined. The employment rate is the proportion of the working-aged population that is employed. In January 2024, the rate fell 0.1 per cent to 61.6 percent marking the fourth month of decline. On a year-over-year basis, the labour force grew by 345,000 while the working-aged population grew by 1.0 million largely driven by permanent and temporary immigration.

The participation rate – which is the number of people who are either employed or unemployed as a percentage of the population aged 15 years and older – fell 0.2 per cent in January 2024 to 65.3 per cent. This decrease was again due to population growth that is outpacing employment growth.

Ontario’s unemployment rate declined 0.1 per cent in December to 6.2 per cent, while unemployment in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) – which includes Vaughan – increased 0.1 per cent to 6.8 per cent.

On a year-over-year basis, average hourly wages among employees rose 5.3 per cent in January (+$1.74 to $34.75), following an increase of 5.4 per cent in December 2023.

Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 0.2 per cent in November, after three consecutive months of no change.

Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 0.2 per cent in November, after three consecutive months of no change. GDP growth in November came from goods-producing industries such as manufacturing and utilities.

The manufacturing sector rose 0.9 per cent in November as both durable and non-durable goods posted increases. Non-durable goods experienced the largest monthly gain since May of 2023, primarily due to increases in chemical manufacturing after several major Canadian plants completed maintenance related shutdowns. Durable goods manufacturing posted increases in 7 of its 10 subsectors with metal manufacturing and machinery equipment manufacturing posting the largest increases.

The wholesale trade sector increased 0.7 per cent for the first time after two consecutive months of declines. Increases in November were primarily due to increased outputs in motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and accessories wholesalers and building materials and supplies wholesalers.

The information and cultural services sector increased 0.5 percent in November after five consecutive months of decline. Motion picture and sound recording industries and publishing industries posted the highest increases. Sector growth was mainly attributed to media and motion picture companies being able to ramp up operations after the SAG-AFTRA strike ended on November 9.

Advance information indicates that real GDP increased 0.3 per cent in December. Increases in manufacturing, real estate and rental and leasing, and mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction were partially offset by decreases in transportation and warehousing, construction, and educational services.

LOCAL TRENDS, INVESTMENTS, AND SUCCESS STORIES

The Vaughan Business and Entrepreneurship Centre experienced demand for consultations in retail trade, construction, and professional scientific and technical services in January.

Economic Developments Small Business and Entrepreneurship top five industries seeking consultations in January were:

  1. Retail trade (39 per cent)
  2. Construction 26 per cent)
  3. Professional, scientific, and technical services (17 per cent)
  4. Administrative and support and waste management (9 per cent)
  5. Healthcare and social assistance (4 per cent)
Mircom introduces the next-generation fire detection and alarm product range into the U.S. security distribution market.

Vaughan headquartered Mircom is one of the largest independent fire alarm manufacturers and distributors in Norther America. The company recently introduced their next-generation fire detection and alarm product range into the U.S. security distribution market. This next-generation product line meets the most stringent industry standards and is engineered to be easy to use and cost-competitive.

Vaughan’s advanced manufacturing cluster has a significant impact on the city’s economy accounting for 19 per cent of Vaughan’s real GDP and contributing $4.7 billion in economic output in 2022. As one of Canada’s advanced manufacturing hubs, Vaughan is an integral part of the newly announced Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster, developing next-generation manufacturing capabilities and incorporating technologies, such as advanced robotics and 3D printing. Vaughan’s access to superior end-to-end supply chain solutions, transportation assets and industrial market size makes it a competitive and attractive destination for advanced manufacturing.