Regional Economy by Sector
Jobs in Greater Victoria by Sector (Census)
The standard sectors that provide the largest number of jobs in Greater Victoria, as of the 2006 Census, are public administration, health care and social assistance, and retail trade. These were also the three largest employers in 2001, although each had a declining share of regional employment.
The sectors with the fastest growth rates from 2001 to 2006 were management of companies and enterprises (albeit from a very low base of 75 jobs), mining and oil and gas extraction (also from a low base of 90 jobs) and construction. Other large sectors that grew faster than the regional average of 11% include professional, scientific and technical services (25%), wholesale trade (23%), finance and insurance (16%), arts, entertainment and recreation (34%), and accommodation and food services (14%). All three of the "custom" sectors of tourism (15%), high technology (14%) and arts and culture creation and production (15%) also grew faster than the regional average.
The final two rows in the table show that goods-producing sectors grew nearly twice as fast (19%) as services-producing sectors (10%). This is counter to the long-run trend throughout most of the developed for faster growth in services. The boom in construction activity is the main reason for faster growth in goods production over this time period.
The Statistics Canada Census provides the most detailed data available on employment by specific industries. Data in this section is for "place of work", meaning jobs that have a fixed location in Greater Victoria, regardless of where the worker lives.
The standard industry sectors according to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) are reported, as well as several "custom" sectors (Tourism, High Technology, Arts & Culture creation and production) that are amalgamations of other specific industries.
|
Jobs in Greater Victoria |
2001 |
2006 |
Growth, 2001-2006 |
|||
|
Jobs |
Share |
Jobs |
Share |
Jobs |
Rate |
|
|
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting |
1,365 |
1.0% |
1,565 |
1.0% |
200 |
15% |
|
Mining and oil and gas extraction |
90 |
0.1% |
165 |
0.1% |
75 |
83% |
|
Utilities |
605 |
0.4% |
420 |
0.3% |
-185 |
-31% |
|
Construction |
3,570 |
2.5% |
5,280 |
3.3% |
1,710 |
48% |
|
Manufacturing |
6,345 |
4.5% |
6,865 |
4.3% |
520 |
8% |
|
Wholesale trade |
3,200 |
2.2% |
3,930 |
2.5% |
730 |
23% |
|
Retail trade |
18,280 |
12.9% |
19,615 |
12.4% |
1,335 |
7% |
|
Transportation and warehousing |
4,755 |
3.3% |
5,035 |
3.2% |
280 |
6% |
|
Information and cultural industries |
3,570 |
2.5% |
3,570 |
2.3% |
0 |
0% |
|
Finance and insurance |
5,390 |
3.8% |
6,250 |
4.0% |
860 |
16% |
|
Real estate and rental and leasing |
3,540 |
2.5% |
3,765 |
2.4% |
225 |
6% |
|
Professional, scientific and technical services |
10,875 |
7.6% |
13,615 |
8.6% |
2,740 |
25% |
|
Management of companies and enterprises |
75 |
0.1% |
165 |
0.1% |
90 |
120% |
|
Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services |
3,890 |
2.7% |
5,285 |
3.3% |
1,395 |
36% |
|
Educational services |
11,460 |
8.1% |
12,475 |
7.9% |
1,015 |
9% |
|
Health care and social assistance |
19,405 |
13.6% |
20,505 |
13.0% |
1,100 |
6% |
|
Arts, entertainment and recreation |
3,255 |
2.3% |
4,375 |
2.8% |
1,120 |
34% |
|
Accommodation and food services |
12,650 |
8.9% |
14,405 |
9.1% |
1,755 |
14% |
|
Other services (except public administration) |
6,495 |
4.6% |
7,480 |
4.7% |
985 |
15% |
|
Public administration |
23,425 |
16.5% |
23,405 |
14.8% |
-20 |
0% |
|
Total Employment by Place of Work* |
142,250 |
100.0% |
158,175 |
100.0% |
15,925 |
11% |
|
Tourism (estimate) |
8,985 |
6.3% |
10,337 |
6.5% |
1,352 |
15% |
|
High Technology (estimate) |
7,104 |
5.0% |
8,106 |
5.1% |
1,002 |
14% |
|
Arts & Culture creation & production (estimate) |
6,433 |
4.5% |
7,377 |
4.7% |
944 |
15% |
|
Goods-producing sectors |
11,975 |
8.4% |
14,295 |
9.0% |
2,320 |
19% |
|
Services-producing sectors |
130,265 |
91.6% |
143,875 |
91.0% |
13,610 |
10% |
|
*Employment by "place of work" does not include jobs that have no fixed place of work, which are common in sectors like construction. About 13% of BC employment in 2006 had no fixed place of work. Source: Statistics Canada Census. Special sector estimates by Vann Struth Consulting Group, based upon sector formulae developed by BC Stats and Statistics Canada. |
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Relative Employment Concentration and Growth (Census)
Public administration is the sector that is clearly the most prominent in Greater Victoria relative to the rest of the province. It has a location quotient of 2.67, meaning that employment in this section is more than twice as plentiful as public administration employment in the BC economy overall.
In general, the regional economy is well diversified with most sectors having a location quotient near 1.00. Exceptions include the primary industries and manufacturing, which is common in less urban parts of the province, and sectors like wholesale trade and transportation and warehousing that are affected by Greater Victoria's island location.
The fastest-growing sectors in Greater Victoria have usually also grown quickly provincially. Some of the larger sectors that have grown more quickly in Greater Victoria include: finance and insurance; arts, entertainment and recreation; tourism; and high technology.
Location quotients are a statistical tool to measure the relative size of sectors in one area compared to other areas. Sectors that make up a larger share of Greater Victoria employment than BC employment have a location quotient higher than 1.00. Sectors that are relatively smaller in Greater Victoria have a location quotient less than 1.00.
|
2006 Location Quotients (relative to British Columbia) |
Growth Rate 2001-2006 |
||||
|
Greater Victoria |
Metro Vancouver |
BC |
Greater Victoria |
Metro Vancouver |
|
|
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting |
0.35 |
0.36 |
4% |
15% |
0% |
|
Mining and oil and gas extraction |
0.14 |
0.47 |
30% |
83% |
97% |
|
Utilities |
0.51 |
1.02 |
-9% |
-31% |
-12% |
|
Construction |
0.87 |
0.83 |
42% |
48% |
32% |
|
Manufacturing |
0.46 |
1.00 |
-1% |
8% |
0% |
|
Wholesale trade |
0.56 |
1.29 |
12% |
23% |
11% |
|
Retail trade |
0.99 |
0.93 |
8% |
7% |
6% |
|
Transportation and warehousing |
0.72 |
1.16 |
-1% |
6% |
-4% |
|
Information and cultural industries |
0.87 |
1.32 |
-7% |
0% |
-7% |
|
Finance and insurance |
0.90 |
1.23 |
5% |
16% |
3% |
|
Real estate and rental and leasing |
0.95 |
1.07 |
22% |
6% |
18% |
|
Professional, scientific and technical services |
1.09 |
1.24 |
20% |
25% |
18% |
|
Management of companies and enterprises |
0.68 |
1.30 |
137% |
120% |
138% |
|
Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services |
0.99 |
1.07 |
24% |
36% |
17% |
|
Educational services |
1.05 |
1.01 |
9% |
9% |
12% |
|
Health care and social assistance |
1.21 |
0.94 |
6% |
6% |
7% |
|
Arts, entertainment and recreation |
1.18 |
0.97 |
16% |
34% |
18% |
|
Accommodation and food services |
1.02 |
0.94 |
9% |
14% |
12% |
|
Other services (except public administration) |
0.91 |
1.02 |
12% |
15% |
13% |
|
Public administration |
2.67 |
0.76 |
-1% |
0% |
1% |
|
Total Employment by Place of Work* |
1.00 |
1.00 |
9% |
11% |
8% |
|
Tourism (estimate) |
1.02 |
0.95 |
2% |
14% |
0% |
|
High Technology (estimate) |
1.02 |
1.38 |
8% |
15% |
6% |
|
Arts & Culture creation & production (estimate) |
1.04 |
1.20 |
14% |
15% |
14% |
|
Goods-producing sectors |
0.52 |
0.83 |
8% |
19% |
7% |
|
Services-producing sectors |
1.10 |
1.04 |
9% |
10% |
9% |
|
*Employment by "place of work" does not include jobs that have no fixed place of work, which are common in sectors like construction. About 13% of BC employment in 2006 had no fixed place of work. Source: Statistics Canada Census. Special sector estimates by Vann Struth Consulting Group, based upon sector formulae developed by BC Stats and Statistics Canada. |
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Annual Employment by Sector
The sectors showing the greatest growth in Greater Victoria over the five years from 2003 to 2008 are professional, scientific and technical services (+60%), public administration (+42%), construction (+32%), and finance, insurance, real estate and leasing (+27%). Each of these sectors has grown more rapidly than the overall growth rate of 20% in the region.
Manufacturing has had the greatest job losses, falling by 25%. Primary industries (including agriculture, forestry and fishing) and utilities is the only other sector to show job losses over the last five years.
On a year-over-year basis from 2007 to 2008, employment declined in construction, manufacturing, and finance/insurance/real estate/leasing, all of which are consistent with the slowdown in construction activity and problems in the forest sector, particularly in the latter part of 2008.
Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey (LFS) provides annual employment data by sector for residents of metropolitan areas. It is not as detailed as the Census, so special sector definitions for Tourism, High Technology and Arts & Culture cannot be calculated annually.
The LFS data are annual averages based on a monthly survey, so the results are subject to sampling error and observed changes for a particularly industry may not necessarily reflect a real change.
Caution is therefore advised in interpreting changes on a year over year basis. Sustained trends over longer time periods are considerably more valid.
|
Greater Victoria Employment (000) |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
Growth, 07-08 |
Growth 03-08 |
|
Primary Industries and Utilities |
3.0 |
2.9 |
1.9 |
1.9 |
2.5 |
2.7 |
8% |
-10% |
|
Construction |
10.2 |
8.7 |
12.0 |
14.7 |
15.3 |
13.5 |
-12% |
32% |
|
Manufacturing |
8.3 |
7.9 |
7.7 |
7.4 |
6.9 |
6.2 |
-10% |
-25% |
|
Trade |
24.5 |
24.7 |
25.6 |
29.3 |
29.7 |
30.2 |
2% |
23% |
|
Transportation and warehousing |
6.6 |
7.3 |
5.9 |
6.7 |
6.7 |
7.5 |
12% |
14% |
|
Finance, insurance, real estate and leasing |
7.9 |
9.0 |
10.8 |
9.1 |
10.5 |
10.0 |
-5% |
27% |
|
Professional, scientific and technical services |
10.5 |
11.6 |
12.7 |
13.9 |
12.8 |
16.8 |
31% |
60% |
|
Business, building and other support services |
8.2 |
6.9 |
6.8 |
8.1 |
8.7 |
8.4 |
-3% |
2% |
|
Educational services |
11.8 |
9.8 |
12.5 |
13.8 |
14.3 |
13.5 |
-6% |
14% |
|
Health care and social assistance |
21.4 |
22.6 |
20.8 |
23.9 |
26.7 |
24.5 |
-8% |
14% |
|
Information, culture and recreation |
7.7 |
9.0 |
8.7 |
6.9 |
8.5 |
8.4 |
-1% |
9% |
|
Accommodation and food services |
15.2 |
16.4 |
17.1 |
15.8 |
16.5 |
17.7 |
7% |
16% |
|
Other services |
7.8 |
6.0 |
6.7 |
5.7 |
5.0 |
9.2 |
84% |
18% |
|
Public administration |
15.7 |
19.0 |
20.0 |
17.9 |
18.8 |
22.3 |
19% |
42% |
|
Total |
158.7 |
162.0 |
169.3 |
175.2 |
182.9 |
190.9 |
4% |
20% |
|
Goods-producing sectors |
21.5 |
19.5 |
21.6 |
24.0 |
24.7 |
22.4 |
-9% |
4% |
|
Services-producing sectors |
137.2 |
142.4 |
147.6 |
151.2 |
158.2 |
168.5 |
7% |
23% |
|
Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey. Reported by BC Stats. Greater Victoria Geography: Census Metropolitan Area |
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Income Dependencies
Easily the most important source of community income in Greater Victoria is the public sector. BC Stats estimates that 39% of total income in the region ultimately depends on public sector employment.
Tourism is the 2nd most important employment sector, accounting for 6% of regional income. Non-employment sources of income, including pensions, investments and government transfer payments, account for just over one-third of total income.
Income dependencies in the region have not changed significantly since 1996. The single largest change is the increase of four percentage points in "other non-employment income", which includes pensions and investments and is consistent with an aging population. Among the employment sectors, the largest change has been high technology, which has seen its income dependency double from 2% to 4%.
Income dependencies show the percentage of total community income that is reliant on various economic base industries and non-employment sources.
Industries that serve primarily the local population (e.g. retail trade) are not considered to be part of the economic base because they do not draw significant external income into the community.
After each Census, BC Stats calculates income dependencies for a variety of local areas in the province.
|
Greater Victoria Income Dependencies |
1996 |
2001 |
2006 |
Change, 2001-2006 |
Change 1996-2006 |
|
Forestry and associated manufacturing |
1% |
1% |
1% |
0 pp |
0 pp |
|
Mining and associated manufacturing, including Oil & Gas |
0% |
0% |
1% |
1 pp |
1 pp |
|
Fishing and Trapping and associated manufacturing |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0 pp |
0 pp |
|
Agriculture and Food & Beverage Manufacturing |
1% |
1% |
1% |
0 pp |
0 pp |
|
Tourism |
7% |
6% |
6% |
0 pp |
-1 pp |
|
High Technology |
2% |
4% |
4% |
0 pp |
2 pp |
|
Public Sector |
41% |
41% |
39% |
-2 pp |
-2 pp |
|
Construction |
6% |
4% |
6% |
2 pp |
0 pp |
|
Film Production and Sound Recording |
n/a |
0% |
0% |
0 pp |
n/a |
|
Other Employment (includes Film in 1996) |
7% |
6% |
6% |
0 pp |
-1 pp |
|
Transfer Payments |
16% |
16% |
13% |
-3 pp |
-3 pp |
|
Other Non-Employment Income |
19% |
20% |
23% |
3 pp |
4 pp |
|
Total |
100% |
100% |
100% |
0 pp |
0 pp |
|
Total from Employment |
65% |
64% |
64% |
0 pp |
-1 pp |
|
Total from Non-Employment |
35% |
36% |
36% |
0 pp |
1 pp |
| Source: BC Stats, Local Area Economic Dependencies (special reports). | |||||