Regional Unemployment Rate Increases to 3.8% in October

Walkerton, ON (November 6, 2026) – Despite maintaining the second-lowest unemployment rate in Ontario, the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region experienced a notable decline in employment and labour force participation in October.

The unemployment rate in the Stratford-Bruce Peninsula Economic Region increased by 0.2 percentage points to 3.8%. Meanwhile, the provincial unemployment rate decreased 0.1 percentage points to 7.2%, both unadjusted for seasonality. Total employment in the Region fell by 2,900 (-1.8%) to 161,800 with losses in full-time employment (-3,200; -2.3%) and small gains in part-time employment (+200; +0.8%).